PRINt! 


M.'l. 


m 

'' 


m  g  i 

.  m 


/ 


GALIF.  LWURT.  LOI  AXGK19 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS, 


M.  L.  GAGNEUK. 


CHICAGO: 
JANSEN,  McCLUEG  &  COMPANY. 

1881. 


COPYRIGHT. 

JANSEN,  McCLURG  &  COMPANY. 
A.  D.  1881 


TKAKSLATOK'S  PKEFACE. 

THE  following  translation  was  finished  on  the  very  day 
when  I  heard  of  the  Czar's  assassination.  In  reading  the 
book  in  the  original,  it  struck  me  that  the  characters 
were  drawn  from  real  life;  and  now  I  am  convinced  that 
Sophie  Pieoffsky  is  the  original  of  Wanda  Kryloff.  What 
could  be  more  characteristic  of  Wanda  than  Sophie's 
dying  message  to  her  mother  :  "  Waste  no  time  in  as- 
suaging the  wrath  of  my  father  ! " 

The  description  of  her  beauty,  of  her  refinement,  of 
her  cool,  unflinching  courage,  of  her  wonderful  self-pos- 
session, are  all  Wanda  Kryloff  to  the  life. 

I  notice  also  the  following  extract  from  the  daily  papers  : 
"  Sophie  Pieoffsky,  the  young  lady  hanged  in  St.  Peters- 
burg on  Friday  for  her  share  in  the  assassination  of  the 
Czar,  was  pretty  and  refined  in  appearance,  and  was  ex- 
ceedingly well  educated.  She  has  a  near  relative,  now 
an  aide-de  camp  to  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis." 

This  aide-de-camp  I  take  to  be  Verenine,  called  Alexis 
Verenine,  from  his  relations  with  the  grand-duke  of  that 
name.  I  think  that  Michael  Federoff  is  Hartmann,  but  of 

(3) 

21 29820 


TEA NSLA  TOR'S  PREFA CE. 


this  I  only  conjecture;  whereas  Roussakoff's  resemblance 
toKorolef  is  most  striking.  His  ignorance  of  the  plans 
of  his  leaders,  his  reckless  courage,  his  thoroughly  undisci- 
plined and  excitable  conduct,  and  his  great  dread  of 
death,  perfectly  tally  with  the  gypsy  character  attributed 
to  Korolef  in  the  following  pages. 

If  we  had  more  information  concerning  the  personal 
history  of  the  Czar's  assassins,  many  more  salient  points 
of  resemblance  might  doubtless  be  discovered;  but  we 
must,  at  present,  content  ourselves  with  a  wondering 
curiosity  as  to  the  identity  of  the  actors  in  the  following 
thrilling  story. 

APRIL,  1881. 


PEEFAOE, 


FOR  several  years  the  eyes  of  all  Europe  have  been 
fixed  upon  Russia.  There  is  in  that  autocratic  empire  a 
state  of  political  and  social  fermentation  which  interests 
the  whole  world. 

It  was  many  years  ago  that  the  democratic  seed  was 
planted  in  the  land  of  Caesarism  and  the  knout. 

In  vain  Nicholas  tried  to  eradicate  it  in  1825.  In  vain 
the  fortress  of  Petropavlask  closed  upon  the  brave  men 
who  dared  to  oppose  the  despot.  In  vain  the  snows  of 
Siberia  swallowed  up  thousands  of  thinking  beings,  who 
had  committed  no  crime  save  the  crime  of  hoping  for  a 
better  fate.  In  vain  did  the  autocrat  barricade  his  frontiers 
against  the  invasion  of  French  ideas.  In  spite  of  all 
this,  revolution,  his  nightmare,  slowly  and  secretly  crept 
upon  him. 

After  him,  Alexander  II,  understanding  perhaps  the 
danger  of  his  father's  policy  of  repression,  signed  the 
ukase  for  the  emancipation  of  the  serfs. 

But  the  act  of  emancipation  which  freed  the  peasants, 
while,  it  loaded  them  with  rents  and  taxes,  aggravated 
their  misery  and  dissatisfied  the  nobles. 

The  Zemstov  and  the  Vollost — that  is,  the  local  self- 
government — could  not  replace  the  national  representa- 


6  PREFACE. 


tion  so  ardently  desired  by  the  intelligent  portion  of  the 
nation. 

A  few  other  reforms,  a  few  laws,  have  been  made;  but 
who  is  to  execute  them?  "God  is  so  high,  and  the  Czar 
is  so  far ! "  says  the  Russian  peasant,  accustomed  to  in- 
justice. Corruption  and  bribery  rule  the  Holy  Empire. 
As  Hertzen  says:  "His  Majesty  Abuse  is  the  real  Em- 
peror." 

There  must  be  a  radical  change  in  the  legislation  and 
in  the  whole  system  of  government. 

Perhaps  Alexander  desires  this,  but  with  his  feeble  will, 
what  can  he  do?  The  democratic  idea  is  necessary  ;  it 
is  rushing  on.  At  the  present  time,  when  individual  lib- 
erty and  the  right  of  self-government  are  daily  growing 
more  powerful,  a  government  resting  upon  bayonets  is 
simply  an  anachronism,  an  anomaly. 

In  a  little  while,  this  worm-eaten  system,  founded  upon 
a  pretended  divine  right,  which,  in  fact,  is  mere  brute 
force,  will  be  transformed  into  an  entirely  new  idea. 

There  will  be  thorough  freedom — political,  religious, 
social  freedom. 

Priests,  kings,  noblemen,  manufacturers — all  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  dead  past, — are  vainly  striving  to  retain 
in  their  grasp  the  power  which  is  slowly  slipping  away 
from  them. 

And  emperors  and  kings  hurl  against  one  another  their 
vast  armies,  such  as  antiquity, never  saw,  to  keep  up  the 
semblance  of  their  military  power. 

But  did  the  French  war  not  end  in  a  Republic?  Did 
the  German  war  not  end  in  a  revolutionary  party  which 
is  growing  from  day  to  day? 

And  the  war  against  Turkey,  undertaken  by  the  Czar 


PREFACE. 


to  strengthen  his  imperial  power:  has  it  not  redoubled 
the  ardor  of  the  socialists? 

Now,  what  do  these  socialists,  these  Nihilists,  as  they 
call  them,  wish? 

They  are  truly  Nihilists,  for  they  wish  to  annihilate 
everything  as  it  at  present  exists.  Now,  Russia,  by  its 
ancient  institutions,  lends  itself,  better  than  any  other 
nation,  to  this  idea. 

What  are  these  institutions? 

The  Russian  Mir  is  a  sort  of  cooperative  agricultural 
association.  The  land  is  held  in  common  and  divided 
equally  between  all  the  members  of  the  Mir.  When  the 
number  of  members  is  increased  or  diminished,  the  land 
is  divided  over  again.  They  are  all  equally  responsible 
for  the  taxes,  for  the  purchase  of  machinery,  for  the  cost 
of  the  government.  The  Mir  is  governed  by  a  mayor 
(startchina)  and  deputies  (starostas)  who  are  elected. 

This  organization  meets  with  much  opposition  from  the 
large  proprietors;  but  the  Russian  peasant,  unlike  the 
French  peasant,  who  clings  to  the  idea  of  exclusive  pos- 
session, loves  his  Mir.  It  is  of  very  ancient  origin,  and 
the  Russian  people  have  for  years  struggled  to  main- 
tain it. 

At  the  time  of  the  Mongol  invasion,  when  an  Asiatic 
monarchy  was  founded  upon  the  soil  of  autonomous  re- 
publics, a  great  number  of  peasants  emigrated,  and  flee- 
ing to  the  steppes  and  to  Siberia,  established  themselves 
in  the  depths  of  the  virgin  forests  and  in  inaccessible 
valleys.  Thus  they  protested  against  Mongol  despotism, 
and  the  free  idea  still  lives  in  the  hearts  of  the  Cossacks. 

To  the  Russian  socialist,  the  Mir,  this  agricultural  com- 
munity, holds  out  a  precious  seed,  a  fruitful  embryo,  as  it 


8  PREFACE. 


were,  from  which  springs  their  dream — the  federation  of 
free  producers.  Besides  the  Mir,  Russia  has  its  Astels. 
These  are  associations  of  workmen,  for  the  cultivation 
of  some  one  branch  of  industry.  The  product  is  divided 
equally  between  the  workmen. 

It  is  upon  this  principle,  dear  to  the  Russian  peasant, 
that  the  socialists  are  at  present  working. 

But  the  superstitious  mujick  does  not  desire  to  over- 
throw the  Czar;  the  revolutionists  hope,  though,  that  he 
will,  in  time,  rebel  against  the  nobility  and  the  tax- 
gatherers. 

Up  to  this  time,  the  Nihilist  party  has  worked  slowly, 
secretly,  silently,  in  the  midst  of  the  people;  occasionally 
a  mysterious  assassination,  daring  proclamations,  wonder- 
ful escapes  from  prison,  superhuman  sacrifices  such  as 
only  the  early  days  of  Christianity  have  ever  seen,  strike 
awe  into  this  old  sceptical  and  selfish  society. 

Who  are  these  intrepid  men  and  women  who  brave  the 
Russian  police  and  their  terrible  prisons?  What  mighty 
power  induces  them  to  give  up  their  position  in  the  world, 
their  wealthy  families,  to  embrace  the  hard,  dangerous 
life  of  an  apostle?  They  clothe  themselves  in  the  hum- 
ble dress  of  the  artisan  ;  they  learn  a  trade  ;  they  pene- 
trate into  the  cottages  of  the  poor;  they  surmount  the 
fatigue  of  hard  labor,  so  as  to  tell  the  peasant  of  his 
rights. 

Persons  of  the  highest  rank,  princesses  even,  have  thus 
consecrated  themselves  to  the  education  of  the  masses; 
and  this  without  ostentation,  but  with  that  cold  ardor, 
that  concentrated  enthusiasm,  which  is  one  oi  the  dis- 
tinctive marks  of  the  Russian  character. 

What  doctrines  do  they  teach?    Do  they  promise  their 


PEE  FACE.  9 


converts  honors  in  this  world  and  happiness  in  another? 
No  ;  they  are  animated  by  no  selfish  hope  ;  they  are 
humanitarians,  more  thorough  in  their  self-abnegation 
than  the  early  Christians,  who  believed  in  the  recompense 
of  heaven.  They  have  no  aim  save  the  freedom  of  the 
nation;  no  desire  save  the  establishment  of  justice. 

Are  there  many  of  them? 

"  To-day,"  writes  Vera  Zassoulitch.  "  there  is  not  a 
village  in  the  Russian  Empire  where  one  cannot  meet 
enlightened  and  conscientious  socialists.  " 

The  following  pages  will  answer  all  these  questions. 
They  contain  an  accurate  picture  of  a  movement  which 
is  destined  to  take  a  high  place  in  the  philosophical  and 
social  history  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

M.    L.    GAGNEtJB. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE    .        .  15 

II.  A  TWO-FOLD  LIFE        ....  30 

III.  THE  SECRET  COUNCIL       ....  37 

IV.  THE  SECRET  CORRESPONDENCE     .        .  42 
V.  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  MAIDEN          .        .  48 

VI.  THE  CLUB 53 

VII.  PRINCE  KRYLOFF 59 

VIII.  THE  RED  LETTER          ....  62 

IX.  REBELLION       ......  70 

X.  THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST      ...  79 

XI.  PASSION    .......  95 

XII.  THE  THIRD  SECTION     ....  97 

XIII.  A  RECRUIT       .        .        ...        .        .100 

XIV.  THE  NEW  ROAD  TO  DAMASCUS      .        .  107 

XV.  THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  NIHILISTS        .        .  114 
(11) 


13  CONTENTS. 


CUAHTEB  PAGE 

XVI.  DESCENT  OF  THE  POLICE.         .         .         124 

XVII.  THE  CHIEF  OF  POLICJS        .         .         .     132 

XVIII.  SELF- ABNEGATION  .        .        .        .        13.) 

XIX.     JEALOUSY 146 

XX.  THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA    .        .         153 

XXI.     THE  BALL 176 

XXII.  PROVOCATION          .         .         .         .         18) 

XXIII.  THE  ARREST       .  .         .         .185 

XXIV.  THE  EXAMINATION          ...         191 
XXV.  SOUND  REASONS         .        .        .        .196 

XXVI.  THE  PETITION          .         .         .         .         201 

XXVII.  THE  SHAM  MARRIAGE         .         .         .213 

• 

XXVIII.  APPRENTICESHIP      .        .        .        .        218 

XXIX.  THE  DEATH-SENTENCE         .        .        .     225 

XXX.     TEMPTATION 230 

XXXI.  THE  CERTIFICATE  OF  DEATH       .         .     236 

XXXII.     THE  ESCAPE 241 

XXXIII.  A  SECRET  MARRIAGE  .         .         .     245 

XXXIV.  THE  SEPARATION     ....         248 
XXXV.  THE  PROPAGANDA       .         .         .         .251 

XXXVI.  THE  INQUIRY                                            255 


CONTEXTS.  1 3 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXVII.  THE  DECLARATION  OF  LOVE        .        .  262 

XXXVIII.  THE  PROPOSAL         ....  266 

XXXIX.  THE  SURPRISE    .        .        .        .        .272 

XL.  THE  VILLAGE          .        .        .        .  280 

XLI.  THE  PAPER  MILL         .         .        .        .285 

XLII.  THE  ENGAGEMENT  ....  294 

XLIII.  FLIGHT 301 

XLIV.  THE  BLUE  OFFICER         ...  310 

XLV.  THE  PRINTING  OFFICE         .         .         .313 

XL VI.  A  TERRIBLE  POSITION     .         .         .  314 

XL  VII.  DEFIANCE 317 

XLVIII.  THE  FALSE  ARCHIMANDRITE    .         .  323 

XLIX.  THE  FEMALE  PRISONER      .         .        .  325 

L.  THE  RESCUE 330 

LI.  THE  ASSASSINATION    ....  333 

LIT.  THE  ATTACK 338 

LIII.  THE  SENTENCE    .....  341 

LIV.  THE  EXECUTION       ....  353 

LV.  THE  DEPARTURE  FOR  SIBERIA      .         .  357 

LVI.  VENGEANCE 359 

CONCLUSION        ....  3G3 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE. 

THE  fall  of  Plevna  had  put  an  end  to  the  Turkish  cam- 
paign. The  Czar,  as  conqueror,  had  returned  to  Peters- 
burg. 

Towards  the  end  of  December,  1877,  there  was  an  offi- 
cial reception  and  full-dress  ball  at  the  Winter  Palace. 
The  fete  was  given  in  honor  of  the  victor. 

The  interior  of  the  palace  looked  like  fairy-land.  Our 
western  luxury,  with  its  quiet  elegance,  can  give  no  idea 
of  the  oriental  magnificence  of  the  Russians. 

The  superb  suite  of  apartments,  beautifully  lighted, 
the  splendid  St.  George's  Hall,  of  gigantic  proportions, 
presented  a  scene  of  enchantment. 

Hundreds  of  enormous  chandeliers,  suspended  from 
the  lofty  ceilings,  glittered  through  a  misty  vapor. 

Through  the  vast  halls  a  living,  dazzling  flood  of  people 
was  moving.  It  was  like  a  river  of  gold,  of  jewels,  of 
radiant  faces,  of  sparkling  smiles,  of  fair  hair  and  snowy 
shoulders-. 

The  superb  uniforms  of  the  Emperor's  body-guard,  the 
golden  breast-plates,  the  epaulets  starred  with  diamonds, 
the  crosses,  the  orders,  the  jeweled  pins  and  stars,  re- 
flected the  brilliancy  in  which  they  moved.  Nowhere  in 
the  world  are  the  decorations  so  numerous  and  so  rich  as 

(15) 


16  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

they  are  in  Russia;  nowhere  are  the  dresses  so  splendid, 
so  diversified,  so  loaded  with  gold  and  embroidery. 

The  Asiatic  costumes  worn  at  this  fete  gave  it  a  very 
original  appearance;  there  was  a  Circassian  prince,  a 
Mongolian  officer,  a  Mahometan  prince,  and  an  Arabian 
chief,  who  displayed  their  oriental  vestments,  strange 
in  their  form  and  warm  in  their  coloring. 

The  toilets  of  the  women  were  equally  rich,  but  more 
modern  in  their  elegance.  The  airy  grace  of  Parisian 
fashions  could  hardly  compete  with  the  gorgeous  wealth 
of  the  military  and  national  costumes.  However,  these 
pretty  dresses  of  gauze  and  lace  were  fastened,  here  and 
there,  by  clasps  of  pearls  and  knots  of  diamonds,  by  sap- 
phire or  ruby  tags,  vorthy  to  figure  in  a  royal  casket. 
And  then,  the  beauty  of  the  Russian  women — their  su- 
perb figures,  and  thin,  bare  shoulders,  were  worth  all  the 
jewels  of  the  world. 

And  what  a  variety  of  types  ! 

A  Circassian,  with  aquiline  nose,  dark  skin  and  purple 
lips,  stood  side  by  side  with  a  captivating  little  Finn,  all 
white  and  pink,  with  turquoise  blue  eyes  and  pale  golden 
hair.  A  Greek  maiden  from  Odessa,  with  great  black 
*»,yes  and  straight  profile,  dancing  opposite  a  Calmuck 
princess,  whose  slan;ing  eyes  recalled  to  mind  the  Chinese 
Deauties. 

Every  one  who  was  in  society  was  at  the  Winter  Palace 
on  that  night ;  and  this  society  presented  the  most  dis- 
cordant elements.  In  the  same  room  with  the  old  boyards 
stood  the  representatives  of  all  the  conquered  countries — 
Germans,  Poles,  Tartars,  Circassians,  Finns.  And  now 
that  the  boyards  are  nearly  ruined,  and  that  the  construc- 
tion of  railroads  has  opened  up  a  vast  field  for  enterprise, 
a  sort  of  financial  aristocracy  is  growing  up  in  Russia,  to 
which  the  society  is  slowly  opening  its  doors. 

A  few  wealthy  bankers  were  to  be  seen  in  this  offLial 
crowd. 

In  the  ball-room  some  young  people  were  trying  to 
dance;  but  in  fact  they  were  only  trampling  on  one  an- 
other's feet. 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.  17 

A  young  French  diplomat,  decorated  with  the  Legion 
of  Honor  and  the  order  of  Saint  Wladimir,  was  leaning 
against  a  pillar  in  the  long  gallery,  idly  watching  the 
crowd,  when  suddenly  darting  from  his  place,  he  pushed 
his  way  through  the  stream  of  people,  and  laid  his  hand 
on  the  shoulder  of  a  young  man,  simply  dressed  in  even- 
ing costume. 

"Why,  Chabert!  Is  this  you!  " 

"At  last  I  have  found  you.  my  dear  de  Prieu!  I  hoped 
to  meet  you  here.  I  went  to  the  French  Embassy  this  af- 
ternoon to  see  you,  but  you  had  just  gone  out." 

"How  long  have  you  been  at  Petersburg?" 

"  I  have  been  here  two  days." 

"Are  you  traveling  for  pleasure?" 

"No,  I  am  on  business.  As  far  as  I  can  see,  I  should 
never  come  to  Russia  for  pleasure;  stupid  place,  wretched 
climate,  a  country  only  fit  for  thieves  and  wolves." 

"  Oh,  well,  you  .have  to  take  a  little  time  to  get  accus- 
tomed to  it.  What  business  have  you  to  bring  you  out 
of  France?" 

"  Since  I  last  saw  you,  my  dear  Horace,  a  great  deal 
has  happened  to  me." 

"You  look  so  sad!  Have  you  had  any  ill-luck?" 

"It  is  a  mistake  that  I  am  still  alive,  for  truly  I  have 
been  very  near  the  other  world." 

"Ah!  nonsense!" 

"Yes,  while  your  life  was  running  on  here,  quiet  and 
cool  as  the  waters  of  the  Neva,  mine  has  been  drawn 
into  a  whirlpool  of  stormy  passion,  and  nearly  dashed  to 
pieces." 

"Yoti  talk  about  passion!  You!  the  coolest  man  I 
ever  met!  You  astonish  me  more  and  more!" 

"  My  dear  fellow,  never  count  upon  any  one.  But  let 
me  tell  you  my  very  strange  story." 

At  this  moment  there  was  a  murmur  in  the  crowd. 

"Look,"  said  Count  Horace  de  Prieu;  "here  comes 
the  Emperor." 

It  was  indeed    Alexander,    followed  by  the  Imperial 
family  and  great  dignitaries  of  the  court. 
2 


18  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

The  Czar  wore  a  uniform,  which  set  off  to  great  advan- 
tage his  fine  figure.  His  effect  was  superb.  His  features, 
as  regular  as  an  antique  cameo,  had  a  noble  but  sweet 
expression.  He  returned  the  enthusiastic  greetings  of 
his  court  and  of  his  nobles  with  a  sadness  that  is  habitual 
to  him,  as  though  the  recollection  of  his  greatness  and  of 
his  despotism  were  oppressive  to  him. 

"  He  seems  thoroughly  good,"  said  Chabert. 

"He  is,  too;  his  goodness  borders  on  weakness." 

"  But  he  looks  very  much  depressed." 

"He  ought  to  be." 

"Why?  He  is  worshiped  by  his  nobility  and  adored 
by  his  people." 

"Oh!  oh!  his  people  are  very  wretched,  and  misery 
is  a  bad  friend.  As  for  his  nobility,  I  doubt  very  much 
whether  they  have  ever  forgiven  him  for  freeing  the 
serfs,  and  for  his  liberal  views." 

"  Why,  I  thought  that  the  Russian  nobles  were  very 
liberal." 

"  Yes,  apparently,  particularly  when  they  live  in  France. 
The  Russians  love  admiration,  and  they  will  sacrifice  the 
truth  any  day,  to  gain  applause.  I  think  they  hate  these 
reforms,  which  threaten  to  diminish  their  privileges." 

"Yes,"  answered  Chabert,  "their  privileges  are  as  ex- 
orbitant as  they  were  in  France  before  '89." 

"  The  Czar,"  said  Horace,  "  although  he  is  an  Emperor, 
thoroughly  understands  his  century;  he  is  trying  to  es- 
cape from  the  '93  which  is  constantly  threatening  him." 

"Is  there  really  any  danger?" 

"  The  revolutionary  spirit  has  made  great  progress  in 
Russia.  I  cannot  tell  whether  it  is  as  dangerous  as  some 
people  think.  But  their  placards  show  a  wonderful  au- 
dacity, a  wonderful  amount  of  courage." 

"  What  placards?" 

"Why,  constantly  large  red  placards  are  put  up,  pur- 
porting to  emanate  from  a  Republican  committee,  sum- 
moning the  Emperor,  in  most  disrespectful  terms,  to  give 
a  constitution  to  Russia,  and  to  abolish  the  secret  police. 
These  placards  have  cut  the  Czar  to  the  heart;  and,  at 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.  19 

the  same  time,  have  very  much  cooled  the  loyalty  of  the 
people." 

"  Most  probably  that  is  what  the  revolutionists  wish  to 
do;  arouse  the  public  feeling,  and  the  Czar's  likewise." 

"  Perhaps,  since  I  saw  you  last,"  said  Horace,  "  you, 
too,  have  become  a  democrat,  a  revolutionist,  a  socialist? 
Come  on,  tell  me  the  rest  of  your  story,  in  which  I  am 
really  interested." 

"  Well,  in  fact,  it  is  stupid  enough.  I  only  fell  despe- 
rately in  love  with  a  woman.  I  am  well  cured  of  it  now, 
so  that  I  do  not  even  care  to  talk  against  her.  The  vices 
of  the  poor  creatures  are  more  the  result  of  our  conduct 
than  of  their  own  will.  They  are  what  they  are  obliged 
to  be  in  the  filth  that  they  call  society." 

"  Oh  !  how  philosophical  !  " 

"  My  dear  fellow,  there  is  nothing  like  death,"  contin- 
ued Chabert,  laughing.  "  When  we  come  back  to  earth 
we  look  upon  things  from  a  higher  standpoint.  I  loved 
that  woman,  I  wanted  to  lift  her  out  of  the  mire  ;  I  would 
even  have  married  her,  when  I  found  that  she  was  deceiv- 
ing me.  I  was  a  fool,  for  I  tried  to  save  her.  That  was 
the  cause  of  all  my  wretchedness.  I  ruined  myself  for 
her  sake,  and  the  legacy,  which  fell  upon  me  like  an  ava- 
lanche ..." 

"  You  have  a  strange  way  of  treating  legacies." 

"  Yes  !  for  that  blasted  legacy  lost  me  the  two  best 
years  of  my  life,  kept  me  from  doing  my  work,  and 
ruined  my  career.  If  I  had  not  had  money  she  would 
never  have  looked  at  me.  But  I  managed  to  get  rid  of 
it  very  soon.  When  I  saw  that  I  was  nearly  ruined,  I 
went  to  Monte  Carlo  to  spend  my  last  thousand  francs; 
and  there  I  swallowed  a  bottle  of  laudanum." 
-  "You  tried  to  kill  yourself?" 

"I  was  in  despair,  for  I  really  loved  that  woman;  or 
rather  I  thought  I  loved  her,  when  it  was  only  my  vanity 
which  suffered.  There  was  a  Russian  doctor  living  at  the 
same  hotel  with  me  at  Nice,  who  restored  me  to  life,  while 
the  other  medical  men  contented  themselves  with  formally 
announcing  my  decease.  I  tell  you  I  have  been  really 


20  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

and  truly  dead — you  see  before  you  one  raised  from  the 
dead." 

"  Who  is  this  Russian  doctor  ? —  " 

Horace  interrupted  himself  again,  and  touched  his 
friend. 

"Look,"  said  he,  in  a  low  voice:  "here  is  the  real 
Emperor." 

He  pointed  to  an  old  man  with  a  fine,  expressive  face 
arid  dignified  bearing,  a  person  of  the  most  distinguished 
appearance — the  Chancellor  of  the  Empire. 

"  Is  that  Gortschakoff  ?  " 

"Yes,  a  statesman  who  is  always  on  stilts.  His  airs 
would  not  take  with  us  in  France,  but  here  he  is  looked 
upon  as  an  oracle  ;  he  speaks  very  slowly  ;  giyes  the 
most  profound  reasons  for  everything  that  he  does.  He 
allows  no  discussion  whatever;  what  he  says  is  the  law 
— hence  his  power.  The  Emperor  desires  reform ;  Gorts- 
chakoff will  not  suffer  it.  The  power  of  that  man  con- 
sists in  bis  imposing  manner  and  his  long  sentences.  His 
patience  is  wonderful.  He  has  a  perfect  talent  for  seizing 
his  opportunity.  He  is  conservative,  but  he  is  neither 
ignorant  nor  blind.  He  understands  the  current  of  pop- 
ular feeling,  and  is  always  trying  to  direct  its  aim. 
There  have  been  few  men  who  have  taken  so  much 
trouble  to  fetter  the  progress  of  a  nation.  He  passes  for 
a  liberal,  however,  and  he  is  old." 

"  But  the  progress  that  you  speak  of  is  making  rapid 
strides." 

"  Yes;  in  spite  of  the  secret  police,  there  is  a  Revolu- 
tionary Committee  here  in  Petersburg,  that  holds  its 
sessions,  issues  proclamations,  pronounces  sentence  on  of- 
fenders, and,  worse  than  all,  inflicts  punishment.  The 
most  mysterious  assassinations  take  place  constantly.  I 
heard  this  morning  that  a  large  red  envelope  was  thrown 
into  the  Emperor's  carriage,  without  any  one  seeing  where 
it  came  from." 

"Are  there  many  of  these  nihilists  ?" 

"  Some  people  think  there  are,  others  do  not.  I  was 
speaking  to  one  of  the  officers  of  the  Third  Section 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.  21 

about  it  the  other  day,  and  he  told  me  that  he  thought 
they  would  be  very  dangerous  if  they  were  better  organ- 
ized. The  head  of  the  organization  is  not  in  Rusias. 
By  the  way,  that  Russian  physician  who  saved  your  life 
is  very  probably  some  nihilist  who  is  obliged  to  live  out- 
side of  this  country.  The  society  here  receives  all  its 
orders  from  foreign  parts;  so  many  Russians  have  left 
their  country  for  political  reasons.  What  is  your  friend's 
name?" 

"  I  know  nothing  of  his  political  status,"  said  Chabert, 
with  an  air  of  reserve.  "  His  name  is  Michael  Federoff. 
He  has  been  of  great  service  to  me,  and  has  put  me  in  a 
fair  way  to  better  my  fortune." 

"  Indeed!  your  friend  must  have  a  great  deal  of  influ- 
ence! You  say  you  have  only  been  here  two  days,  and 
have  already  got  the  entree  to  the  Winter  Palace  ?  " 

"  I  had  a  letter  of  recommendation  from  Federoff  to  a 
prince,  or  rather  a  princess." 

"Is  she  young?  " 

"Yes,  young  and  very  handsome." 

"Ah!  perhaps  your  heart  is  already  touched?" 

Horace  did  not  listen  to  his  friend's  reply,  but  hurried- 
ly whispered  to  him:  "Here  comes  General  Mezentzoff 
He  is  the  head  of  the  Third  Section  of  the  Imperial  gov- 
ernment. Look  at  him:  he  is  talking  to  Trepoff,  the  chief 
of  police." 

The  young  diplomat  pointed  out  a  gentleman  in  a  light 
blue  uniform,  covered  with  crosses  and  decorations. 

"  Do  you  see  him?  All  the  light  blue  uniforms  belong 
to  the  same  amiable  administration.  On  account  of  the 
color  of  the  uniform  they  call  it  the  blue  police — a  terrible 
institution." 

"Why!  does  the  secret  police  walk  about  publicly, 
dressed  up  in  uniform?"  said  Chabert. 

"Yes,  and  has  the  precedence.  The  chief  of  the  Third 
Section  is  one  of  the  most  important  officers  of  the  gov- 
ernment; Prince  Orloff  and  Count  Shouvaloff  both  held 
that  position ;  they  were  both,  you  know,  intimate  friends 
of  the  Emperor." 


22  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Then  a  man  can  be  a  spy  in  Russia,  and  can  still 
be  respected!  It  is  so  in  Germany.  However,  I  can  well 
understand  that  without  their  police  the  tyrants  would 
not  have  one  moment  of  peace." 

"  Don't  talk  .so  loud,"  said  Horace.  *'  There  are  al- 
ways spies  hanging  around.  In  Russia,  you  can  truly 
say,  'Walls  have  ears;'  and  ever  since  these  incendiary 
placards  have  made  their  appearance,  the  number  of  the 
secret  police  has  been  increased..  .Who  is  this,  right  near 
us,  this  bedizened  individual,  with  a  German-looking 
face?  I  would  not  trust  that  fellow.  We  must  be  cau- 
tious here;  for  a  mere  nothing  you  can  be  arrested, 
clapped  into  prison,  and  hurried  off  to  Tobolsk  or  to 
Yrkoutsk,  without  even  a  trial." 

"  Delightful  country!  "  said  Raymond  Chabert.  "  Hap- 
pily I  have  only  come  here  to  make  some  money,  and 
not  to  dabble  in  politics." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do? '' 

"  I  am  an  engineer,  and  I  am  trying  to  get  a  permit  to 
build  a  railroad  through  Southern  Russia;  I  am  in  the 
employ  of  a  company  of  French  capitalists." 

Just  then  a  hush  stole  over  the  vast  crowd,  followed 
by  a  murmur  of  admiration,  as  the  Princess  Wanda 
Kryloff,  the  famous  beauty,  entered  the  hall.  She  came 
forward,  leaning  upon  her  father's  arm,  a  woman  of  won- 
derful beauty,  tall,  slender,  statuesque,  her  shoulders  and 
arms  like  marble. 

Wanda  was  the  highest  type  of  the  Slav;  original  yet 
imitative,  full  of  imagination  and  of  power,  but  indolent 
as  a  Sultana;  her  mind  was  quick  and  witty,  her  move- 
ments slow  and  languid;  her  charm  was  irresistible;  at 
one  moment  unreserved  as  a  child,  at  the  next  full  of  dis- 
simulation, with  a  vast  reserved  force.  Balzac  says  of 
these  women:  "  They  have  the  brain  of  a  man,  the  heart 
of  a  woman;  at  the  same  time  they  are  angels  and  de- 
mons." 

Wanda  had  a  noble,  though  rather  haughty,  presence. 
Her  straight,  pure  Greek  profile  brought  to  mind  the 
statue  of  Diana.  But  when  she  began  to  waltz,  her  mo- 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.  23 

tions  recalled  the  graces  of  a  houri.  Her  features  ex- 
pressed every  feeling,  every  passion. 

Her  nostrils  were  rose-pink,  transparent,  and  trembled 
with  each  emotion,  but  the  line  of  her  black  eyebrows, 
although  narrow,  was  bold;  her  pearl-white  skin  enhanced 
the  deep  red  of  her  lips;  her  dark  brown  hair,  turned 
slightly  back  from  her  temples  and  waved  loosely,  was 
held  in  place  by  bands  of  dull  gold.  It  is  impossible  to 
give  an  idea  of  her  wonderful  eyes — grey,  with  a  lurking 
golden  fire,  that  now  and  then  shot  from  under  the  long, 
fringed  black  lashes.  This  glance  was  wonderful,  darting, 
electrical. 

As  she  passed  in  front  of  Chabert,  she  smiled  upon 
him. 

"  Was  that  smile  intended  for  you?"  said  Horace. 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  friend  I  was  speaking  to  you  about." 

"  Is  that  your  Princess?,  She  is  like  a  Princess  in  the 
fairy-tales!  " 

"  It  is  Princess  Wanda  Kryloff,"  answered  Chabert. 

"Oh,  yes,  I  know  her.  It  would  not  be  easy  to  forget 
her.  And,  of  course,  you  are  in  love  with  her  already. 
Did  your  doctor  give  you  a  letter  of  introduction  to  her?" 

"  Yes." 

"  You  are  lucky.  You  '11  get  along.  How  did  the  old 
Prince,  her  father,  receive  you?" 

"  Very  well." 

"  The  Russians  are  very  nice  to  strangers.  Prince  Kry- 
loff is  an  accomplished  gentleman;  he  has  traveled  a 
great  deal;  he  has  the  English  elegance,  and  the  French 
charm  of  manner;  but  they  say  that  on  his  own  lands 
he  is  a  fearful  tyrant.  He  used  to  have  one  hundred 
thousand  serfs — in  those  days  the  wealth  of  the  nobility 
consisted  in  the  number  of  men  they  owned.  He  was, 
and  he  still  is,  a  perfect  autocrat.  They  tell  dreadful 
stories  about  him;  some  people  believe  that  he  walled  up 
his  wife  alive  with  her  lover — however,  that  is  only  whis- 
pered about.  According  to  another  version  of  the  story, 
he  had  her  transported  to  Siberia,  for  complicity  with  the 
Polish  insurrection  in  1862,  and  they  say  she  died  there. 


24  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

The  Princess  was  a  Pole,  and  a  very  beautiful  woman; 
that  accounts  for  the  beauty  of  Princess  Wanda.  The 
Prince  is  devoted  to  his  daughter,  who,  I  believe,  cares 
very  little  about  him.  Some  people  say  that  this  fair  girl, 
who  is  clever  and  generous,  is  tainted  with  these  social- 
ist, Nihilist  ideas.  Of  course  she  is  merely  an  amateur 
nihilist.  I  would  not,  for  a  moment,  confound  her  with 
^the  mob  of  starved,  drunken  brawlers  who  call  themselves 
revolutionists,  Nihilists,  and  the  like." 

"  Indeed,"  said  Chabert,  with  some  heat,  "  I  have  found 
her  very  clever  and  large-hearted  ;  she  is  as  good  as  she 
is  fair." 

"  If  you  are  so  touched,  at  first  sight "     .     ,     .     . 

*'  I  have  known  her  for  six  months." 

"  What !  You  told  me  just  now  that  you  had  only  been 
at  Petersburg  for  two  days." 

''Yes  ;  but  I  have  been  in  Russia  for  six  months — I 
have  been  engineering  the  railroad  in  the  South  of  Russia, 
and  I  am  here  trying  to  get  the  permit  from  the  govern- 
ment to  build  it." 

"For  six  months  !  and  you  have  let  me  chatter  away 
about  a  lot  of  things  that  you  know  better  than  I  do." 

"  No,  I  wanted  to  hear  your  views  about  the  country 
that  I  shall  probably  have  to  live  in  for  several  years, 
particularly  as  you  are  in  the  government  employ." 

"  Has  your  fair  Princess  undertaken  to  get  you  a  grant 
from  the  Emperor  ?  " 

"  I  depend  a  great  deal  upon  the  Prince,  because  this 
railroad  will  increase  the  value  of  his  property.  After 
the  emancipation  of  the  serfs,  the  Prince  turned  manu- 
facturer ;  he  has  large  factories  on  his  property,  but  he 
has  difficulty  in  selling  his  goods,  on  account  of  the  want 
of  transportation.  If  he  had  any  means  of  communica- 
tion with  a  suitable  market,  he  could  make  up  for  the 
great  losses  that  his  fortune  has  suffered.  I  have  been 
of  some  service  to  him  ;  for  these  lords,  when  they  want 
to  turn  manufacturers,  are  apt  to  ruin  themselves  without 
some  practical  guide  ;  they  are  like  children." 

"  Has  he  ruined  himself  ?  " 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.  25 

"Oh  no  !  he  is  very  rich." 

"  Do  you  know  him  well  ?  " 

"  Yes,  certainly.  He  received  me  in  the  most  demo- 
cratic manner.  His  daughter,  too,  has  been  very  polite 
to  me." 

"  Well,  then,  you  ought  to  know  if  she  is  really  inter- 
ested in  this  revolutionary  movement." 

Chahert  said  only:  "  Look  at  her  !  Could  a  Nihilist, 
a  revolutionist,  waltz  like  that?" 

Wanda  was  whirling  along,  thoroughly  given  up,  it 
seemed,  to  the  pleasure  of  the  dance. 

"  Whom  is  she  dancing  with?  "  said  Raymond. 

"  Are  you  jealous?  "  answered  Horace,  laughing.  "  That 
is  young  Count  Verenine,  aide-de-camp  to  the  Emperor. 
He  seems  much  taken  with  his  beautiful  cousin." 

The  two  friends,  engrossed  in  their  talk,  had  not  noticed 
that  the  mysterious  person  with  the  German  face  had 
gradually  drawn  near  them,  and  while  watching  the 
Princess,  was  eagerly  listening  to  their  conversation. 

The  young  man  that  Wanda  was  dancing  with  was  tall, 
slender  and  fair,  covered  with  decorations,  and  very  dis- 
tinguished in  his  appearance. 

Wanda  was  speaking  in  a  low  tone  to  her  partner,  who 
seemed  completely  fascinated  by  her. 

"Has  the  Emperor  read  the  address  of  the  Commit- 
tee?" asked  Wanda. 

"  Over  and  over  again." 

"  What  impression  do  you  think  it  has  made  upon 
him?" 

"  He  seems  preoccupied  and  very  much  disturbed." 

"Much  so?" 

"  Yes.  He  walked  up  and  down  the  room  with  feverish 
haste,  then  sat  down  and  seemed  lost  in  thought;  then 
he  sighed  and  murmured  something  that  I  did  not  catch." 

"  How  could  you  see  him?  " 

"  I  drew  aside  the  portiere,  and  watched  him  from  be- 
hind it.  I  thought  for  one  moment  that  he  heard  me." 

"  What?  "  cried  Wanda.     "Tell  me!  speak,  Alexis." 

Alexis  blushed  painfully. 


26  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

He  hesitated,  but  Wanda's  eyes  forced  him  to  speak. 

"Are  you  sure,"  he  said,  "  that  what  I  say  to  you  will 
have  no  evil  consequences  for  the  Emperor?  " 

"  What  a  lukewarm  disciple  you  are,  dear  Alexis!  If 
our  great  cause  had  no  better  champion  than  you! 
What  is  any  man  in  the  presence  of  a  great  idea,  of  a 
great  people?" 

"  The  Czar,"  answered  Alexis,  "  is  more  than  a  man. 
Upon  his  life  hangs  the  whole  order  of  society." 

"The  disorder  of  society,  you  mean.  It  is  this  very 
disorder  that  we  wish  to  destroy.  We  are  not  conspiring 
against  the  life  of  the  Emperor,"  she  added,  in  a  lower 
voice,  "  but  against  the  secret  police.  Your  conscience 
may  rest  in  peace.  Tell  me,  what  did  you  hear?  " 

"These  words:  'I  have  had  the  will,  but  not  the 
power.'  Then  rising  to  his  feet,with  great  dignity,  he  con- 
tinued: 'I  am  the  Czar,  and  I  will  show  it! '  He  called 
me,  and  ordered  me  to  summon  Trepoff  and  Gortschakoff; 
but,  suddenly  recalling  me,  he  told  me  to  wait;  and  I 
saw  him  fall  into  his  chair  in  an  attitude  of  exhaustion." 

The  waltz  was  over;  Count  Verenine  led  his  fair  cousin 
to  her  father. 

"  Papa,"  s  lid  Wanda,  "  I  have  waltzed  until  my  head 
is  quite  dizzy;  I  do  not  feel  well,  I  want  to  go  nome." 

"Why!  we  have  just  come,"  exclaimed  the  Prince. 
"I  have  not  even  paid  my  respects  to  the  Emperor.  Do 
you  know  that  I  have  made  quite  a  conquest?" 

"Yes?"  said  Wanda,  in  a  most  indifferent  manner. 

"  That  young  man  there." 

"That  Nuremberg  toy,  covered  with  furbelows?  He 
is  a  German." 

"Yes." 

"  I  hate  Germans." 

"That  is  Prince  von  Stackelberg.  His  wealth  is  enor- 
mous. His  father  has  a  great  deal  of  influence  with 
Mezentzoff,  and  he  has  obtained  for  this  young  man  a 
high  official  position  in  the  government  of  the  Ukraine." 

"  An  official  position?  " 

u  Yes,  Southern  Russia  and  the  Ukraine,  particularly, 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.  27 

are  infested  with  Nihilists.  I  have  urged  the  government 
to  make  a  rigid  search  in  that  quarter.  Mezentzoff  has 
just  presented  to  me  this  young  man,  who  has  authority 
to  make  the  search,  and  is,  besides,  furnished  with  dis- 
cretionary powers." 

"Ah!  that  is  different,"  said  Wanda,  with  a  strange 
light  in  her  eye.  "Present  him  tome;  I  shall  be  delight- 
ed to  know  him." 

"I  have  promised  to  help  him  in  every  way  in  my 
power;  for  this  vermin,  which  threatens  the  safety  of  the 
Empire,  must  be  crushed." 

"And  which  threatens  our  safety,  too." 

"  I  beg  you,  my  child,  receive  him  politely." 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  answered  Wanda,  who  could  not 
suppress  a  smile.  "  It  is  only  necessary  for  you  to  wish, 
and  I  will  be  as  agreeable  to  him  as  I  can." 

"Try  and  moderate  your  democratic  views  a  little! 
Sometimes  you  put  foy th  such  theories " 

"Oh!  everybody  knows  what  the  liberal  views  of  the 
Russian  nobility  mean.  I  shall  not  be  astonished  to  hear 
Stackelberg  call  himself  a  liberal  too.  And  still,  you  will 
see  that  in  his  official  capacity  he  will  do  his  work  con- 
scientiously." 

This  admirer  of  Wanda,  this  young  German  Prince, 
was  the  same  person  who  had  made  such  a  disagreeable 
impression  upon  the  two  Frenchmen. 

Prince  Kryloff  beckoned  to  the  young  man,  who  came 
rapidly  forward. 

"  My  dear  Wanda,  allow  me  to  present  Prince  Vassili 
von  Stackelberg." 

Wanda  bowed  haughtily;  and  as  her  wonderful  eyes 
rested  upon  his  face,  the  German  seemed  completely  cap- 
tivated. 

"  My  father  tells  me  that  you  are  going  to  travel  in 
the  Ukraine.  We  shall  be  there  in  the  spring;  I  hope 
you  will  come  and  pay  us  a  visit." 

Stackelberg  bowed  very  low,  and  made  his  thanks  in  a 
confused  manner,  for  the  words,  the  voice,  the  glance  of 
the  Princess  embarrassed  him  excessively. 


28  A  NIHILIST  PSINCESS. 

"Princess,"  he  said,  "will  you  condescend  to  dance  the 
next  waltz  with  me?  I  have  been  watching  you  dance 
for  some  time,  and  my  highest  desire  is  rfiat  you  will 
grant  me  this  favor." 

This  forced  compliment  betrayed  the  embarrassment  of 
Vassili. 

"With  pleasure!  I  rave  about  the  waltz  !"  answered 
Wanda,  speaking  gaily,  so  as  to  conceal  the  feelings 
which  strove  within  her  breast — the  hatred  with  which  this 
German  inspired  her,  and  her  joy  at  having  captured  a 
high  officer  of  the  secret  police. 

They  were  soon  talking  freely  together. 

"  Then,"  asked  Wanda,"  are  you  really  attached  to  the 
Third  Section  of  the  Imperial  government?  " 

"Understand  me:  I  am  simply  a  deputy  reporter.  I 
like  this  duty  very  much;  it  gives  me  considerable  au- 
thority, and,  I  hope,  will  be  a  step  to  a  more  important 
post.  I  am  of  German  extraction;  but  I  am  a  Russian 
at  heart.  My  family  has  been  in  Russia  for  two  genera- 
tions, and  we  have  always  been  attached  to  the  court." 

"How  long  have  you  been  in  the  employ  of  the  Impe- 
rial government?" 

"  For  three  years." 

" Then  du  serial  vous  connaissez  un peu  Us  detours" 
said  Wanda,  in  French.  "  What  do  you  think,  at  the 
Third  Section,  of  these  placards  that  the  Revolutionary 
Committee  are  putting  up  everywhere?" 

"  We  laugh  at  them.  There  is  no  Revolutionary  Com- 
mittee in  Petersburg;  the  police  would  surely  know 
about  it;  they  have  their  agents  everywhere." 

"  But,"  said  Wanda,  with  wonderful  dissimulation, 
"such  insolence  should  be  put  down,  and  I  suppose  that 
the  Chief  of  Police  will  take  measures  for  the  prevention 
of  such  things." 

"  They  are  going  to  make  a  number  of  arrests  to-mor- 
row, which  will  strike  terror  to  the  hearts  of  these  nihil- 
ists." 

"Unfortunately,"  answered  Wanda,  "nothing  terrifies 
them.  Their  courage  would  be  called  heroism,  if  it  were 
but  enlisted  in  a  better  cause." 


A  BALL  AT  THE  WINTER  PALACE.      29 

"To  my  thinking,  all  of  these  people  are  lunatics,  who 
should  be  condemned  to  hard  labor  in  Siberia,  to  cool 
their  burning  zeal." 

"Bravo!  "  cried  Wanda,  ironically.  "Ah!  what  a  no- 
ble mission  the  government  has  confided  to  you,  and  how 
proud  you  ought  to  be  of  such  an  honor!" 

"I  am,  and  I  hope  to  prove  myself  worthy  of  it." 

"  And when  are  you  going  south?  " 

"  In  a  few  days." 

The  waltz,  which  Wanda  had  interrupted  several  times, 
so  as  to  converse  more  at  her  ease,  was  over. 

The  Prince  led  her  to  her  seat,  when  suddenly  she  shud- 
dered. Her  eyes  met  a  burning  glance  fixed  upon  her. 

Going  straight  up  to  the  man  who  was  looking  at  her, 
she  asked: 

"Where  is  Nadege?" 

"She  did  not  come,  she  is  not  well,"  answered  this 
fresh  arrival,  in  an  agitated  voice. 

"  Please  tell  her  that  although  I  have  not  been  to  see 
her,  my  thoughts  and  my  heart  are  with  her." 

"  When  are  you  coming  to  see  her?  " 

"  Perhaps  I  shall  be  there  to-morrow." 

She  passed  on. 

"  Do  you  know  that  crazy  Litzanoff  ?  "  asked  Stack- 
elberg. 

"  His  wife  is  my  most  intimate  friend." 

"  Is  he  married  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Why  does  that  surprise'  you  ?  " 

"  He  is  very  much  talked  about  just  now  on  account  of 
his  affair  with  a  horrid  woman." 

"Ah!"  said  Wanda,  shivering  all  over,  but  instantly 
recovering  her  self-possession. 

"Let  us  go  home,  let  us  go  home  at  once,"  she  ex- 
claimed to  her  father. 

"But  you  look  so  well  to-night,"  said  the  Prince. 
"  Your  face  is  brilliant.  ..." 

"  Yes,  but  I  have  a  headache." 

"You  are  the  queen  of  the  ball-room;  let  me  enjoy 
your  success  a  little  longer." 


30  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Ah  no  !  let  us  go,"  she  insisted. 

As  they  were  leaving  the  room,  Raymond  Chabert 
stood  in  their  way. 

The  Prince,  very  politely,  held  out  his  hand  to  him. 

"  Come  see  me  to-morrow  at  noon,"  he  said.  "  We 
will  go  together  to  see  the  minister;  I  have  spoken  to 
him  about  you,  and  he  has  promised  me  to  do  everything 
that  he  can." 

Chabert  bowed  and  glanced  at  the  Princess. 

Wanda  struck  her  fan  twice  against  the  palm  of  her 
hand.  And  as  her  father  drew  her  away,  Chabert  man- 
aged to  whisper  these  words  in  her  ear  : 

"At  two  o'clock,  at  the  Club?" 

She  made  an  almost  imperceptible  sign  with  her  head. 


CHAPTER  II. 

*  A  TWO-FOLD   LIFE. 

PRINCE  KKTLOFF  loved  his  daughter  as  parents  do  who 
have  ceased  to  live  and  love  save  in  their  children.  She 
gratified  his  vanity  as  well  as  his  affection  by  her  beauty, 
her  perfect  grace,  and  her  cleverness,  and  by  the  admi- 
ration which  she  excited  wherever  she  went. 

He  was  therefore  much  troubled  at  Wanda's  sudden 
headache  and  dizziness. 

"It  is  not  anything  serious,"  she  said;  "a  few  hours 
of  sound  sleep  will  put  an  end  to  it." 
•    As  soon  as  she  got  home,  she  ran  up  into  her  own 
room. 

ft " Quick,  quick,  Katia,"  she  said  to  her  maid;  "let  us 
make  haste!  They  must  be  waiting  so  impatiently 
for  us." 

She  tore  off  her  bracelets,  the  gold  band  in  her  hair, 
the  clasps  that  fastened  her  dress,  and  threw  them  all, 


A  TWO-FOLD  LIFE.  31 

pell-mell,with  the  greatest  haste,  upon  a  little  round  table. 

"You  look  beautiful  this  evening,  dear  Princess!"  ex- 
claimed Katia. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Katia?  I  have  told  you  expressly 
that  I  desire  you  to  call  me  Wanda,  not  Princess.  Un- 
derstand me  now,  once  for  all,  wretched  aristocrat!" 

"Someone  mi  jht  overhear  us,"  objected  Katia.  "A 
servant-maid  calling  her  mistress  by  her  first  name!" 

"  But  who  is  there  to  overhear  us?  Sometimes  I  am 
tempted  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  your  convictions." 

"  It  is  true,  that  the  scholar  has  gone  far  ahead  of  the 
teacher." 

"  Ah,  no!  I  can  't  acknowledge  that.  Sometimes  the 
Princess  within  me  revolts  at  the  role  that  I  am  playing, 
lam  not  yet  as  '  simplified  '*  as  you  think  lam;  but 
I  shall  be  after  a  while,  I  am  determined." 

She  gave  great  stress  to  this  last  word. 

"  Dear  Wanda,  your  logic  astounds  me." 

"Now,  then,  do  we  or  do  we  not  desire  equality,  the 
abolition  of  rank  and  of  every  privilege  that  comes  from 
birth  and  wealth?" 

"  Certainly  we  do." 

"  Well,  I  do  not  only  not  consider  myself  better  than 
you,  but  I  consider  myself  your  inferior  in  point  of  de- 
votion. Did  you  not  give  up  your  independence  to  come 
here  and  teach  me  the  New  Faith?  " 

Katia  was  brushing  the  Princess'  superb  hair.  She 
took  her  lovely  head  with  both  hands,  and  stooping  over, 
kissed  Wanda  on  the  forehead. 

"We  have  heard  compliments  enough,"  she  said. 
"  Now  that  there  is  so  much  to  do  for  the  cause,  we  must 
not  waste  our  time  in  words." 

"  You  are  right.     Make  haste.     Is  my  dress  ready?" 

"Yes." 

"  You  must  hide  my  hair  completely,  so  that  they  will 
not  think  that  I  am  a  woman." 

Katia  Lawinska  was  the  daughter  of  a  Pole,  who  served 
the  Russian  government. 

•This  term  means  one  who  has  forsaken  the  life  of  a  citizen  or  of  a  noble' 
man  for  that  of  the  common  people. 


32  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Her  father  had  obtained  an  important  post  in  Poland, 
and  harried  his  countrymen  in  the  most  oppressive  way. 

Katia,  disgusted  with  the  conduct  of  her  father,  left 
his  house,  and  went  to  Zurich  as  a  student — thence  she 
came  to  Petersburg  to  study  medicine,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  support  herself. 

At  Zurich,  as  well  as  at  Petersburg,  she  found  herself 
thrown  in  with  a  set  of  socialist  students.  Their  doctrines 
inflamed  her  youthful  imagination. 

She  had  met  at  Zurich  a  celebrated  Russian  physician, 
named  Michael  Federoff,  who  had  confided  to  her  a  secret 
mission  in  Petersburg. 

There  she  had  been  presented  to  Wanda  Kryloff  by  a 
Pole  named  Padlewski.  Finding  that  she  had  not  money 
enough  to  continue  her  studies,  she  applied  for  help  to 
the  Princess,  who  was  known  to  be  very  generous  towards 
her  mother's  fellow-countrymen. 

Wanda  became  deeply  interested  in  Katia  Lawinska, 
and  the  girl,  very  probably  following  out  her  secret  in- 
structions, asked  to  be  allowed  to  enter  the  service  of  the 
Princess;  and  in  this  humble  capacity  had  undertaken  to 
convert  her  mistress  to  her  own  doctrines. 

She  had  succeeded  beyond  her  fondest  hope. 

Brought  up  among  the  wild  steppes  of  the  Ukraine, 
Wanda's  nature  was  still  and  dreamy.  A  spoilt  child, 
whom  her  father  adored,  she  had  known  no  obstacle  to 
her  will.  Her  independent  nature  brooked  no  control, 
and  yet  her  keen  sense  of  justice  revolted  at  the  tyranny 
of  the  strong  over  the  weak.  How  often  she  had  im- 
plored her  implacable  parent  to  lighten  the  unjust  pun- 
ishment of  some  unfortunate  serf! 

Among  the  souvenirs  of  her  childhood  there  lingered 
such  dismal  recollections;  men  beaten  like  dogs  for  a 
mere  nothing,  women  scourged  without  mercy,  whole 
villages  razed  to  the  ground  for  insurrections  against 
their  lord.  Often,  in  her  dreams,  she  saw  again  these 
scenes  of  desolation — groups  of  old  men,  women,  and 
children,  bathed  in  tears,  or  flying  from  the  vengeance  of 
their  persecutor. 


A  TWO-FOLD  LIFE.  33 

Then  would  rise  before  her  the  sad,  fair  face  of  her 
mother,  whom  she  remembered  but  indistinctly.  Wanda 
was  herself  a  Pole  at  heart,  and  she  loathed  the  Russian 
despotism.  In  her  mind,  the  cause  of  Poland  was  the 
cause  of  humanity. 

Left  entirely  to  herself,  she  had  read  a  great  deal,  par- 
ticularly French  literature.  In  it  she  had  discovered  the 
breath  of  modern  life,  the  mighty  seed  which  impreg- 
nates Art,  Science  and  Liberty.  Her  ardent  imagina- 
tion was  captivated  by  these  noble  ideas.  The  great 
characters  of  the  French  Revolution  aroused  her  enthu- 
siasm. She  idolized  those  heroes;  she  would  willingly 
have  died,  a  martyr,  for  their  cause. 

In  her  father's  estates,  she  looked  upon  the  peasants, 
bending  under  their  burdens,  ignorant,  passive,  and  bru- 
talized, and  she  thought  how  great  a  work  it  would  be  to 
lift  their  drooping  heads,  to  cast  a  ray  of  light  upon 
their  dull  minds,  to  make  men  of  these  slaves. 

In  spite  of  her  father's  opposition,  she  founded  several 
schools  and  presided  herself  over  the  examinations. 

So,  when  she  met  Katia  Lawinska,  her  mind  was  al- 
ready prepared  to  receive  the  New  Faith;  she  was  a 
born  revolutionist,  and  her  soul,  fired  with  the  love  of 
justice  and  the  longing  for  high  deeds,  found  in  its  creed 
a  noble  and  all-sustaining  food.  She  was  romantic  as  a 
Pole  and  violent  as  a  Cossack;  she  delighted  in  conspir- 
acies, in  secret  correspondence,  in  running  out  at  night, 
in  every  extreme  measure. 

Intrepid  and  enthusiastic,  as  most  of  the  Slav  women 
are,  she  loved  danger,  adored  acts  of  heroism,  and  thrilled 
with  delight  at  every  heroic  deed. 

She  was  a  very  valuable  recruit  for  the  revolutionary 
party,  on  account  of  her  position,  her  influence,  her 
beauty,  and  her  wealth,  which  she  offered  most  liberally 
to  carry  out  Tier  views. 

From  the  moment  that  she  joined  the  party,  a  complete 
change  passed  over  her. 

She  had  been  in  the  habit  of  openly  expressing  her  lib- 
eral views;  and  every  one  had  been  surprised  to  hear  her 
3 


34  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

talk  as  she  did,  in  Prince  Kryloffs  drawing-room.  They 
laughed  at  it,  as  they  laugh  at  everything  that  falls  from 
the  lips  of  a  pretty  woman.  The  Prince  attached  no  im- 
portance to  it  whatever,  and  was  amused  at  what  he  con- 
sidered a  piece  of  juvenile  exaggeration. 

But,  once  initiated  into  the  society,  Wanda  became 
prudent,  and  even  artful.  She  was  learning  to  look 
into  the  hearts  of  others  without  revealing  her  own. 

When  Wanda  had  put  on  her  disguise,  Katia  ex- 
claimed: "  I  think  you  are  more  beautiful  dressed  up  as 
a  man  than  you  are  in  evening  toilette.  Just  look  at 
yourself!  " 

"Indeed,  I  have  not  time,"  answered  Wanda. 

She  wore  a  fur  cap,  which  entirely  concealed  her  su- 
perb hair,  and  a  touloupe*  lined  with  sheepskin.  A  Cir- 
cassian belt,  worked  in  gold,  confined  it  at  the  waist.  By 
her  side  hung  a  small  dagger.  Her  feet  were  thrust  into 
high  felt  boots. 

Her  slender  figure  set  off  this  national  costume  to  great 
advantage. 

Katia  wrapped  herself  in  a  long  cloak,  and  placed  upon 
her  head  a  hat  lined  with  lur. 

"  I  am  ready,"  said  Wanda.  "  Are  you  sure  that  Fe- 
dor  is  at  the  corner?" 

"  Yes;  he  has  been  waiting  there  for  more  than  an  hour." 

"Very  well,  I  will  set  you  down  at  the  Club,  and  then 
I  will  go  on  to  the  place  where  they  expect  me." 

Katia  did  not  even  know  who  expected  Wanda. 

"You  know  that  you  cannot  come  with  me,"  said  the 
Princess.  "Believe  me,  it  gives  me  the  greatest  pain 
not  to  be  allowed  to  tell  you  everything." 

"I  do  not  expect  it  of  you,"  answered  Katia.  "Absolute 
secrecy  is  necessary  for  the  success  of  our  great  under- 
taking." 

They  left  the  house  by  a  back  stair-case,  which  led  to 
the  offices,  and  passing  through  a  little  door,  found  them- 
selves in  a  narrow,  dark  street. 

*A  sort  of  long  coat  worn  by  all  Russians ;  it  is  made  of  sheepskin  for  win- 
ter wear,  of  light  cloth  for  summer. 


A  TWO-FOLD  LIFE.  35 

At  the  corner  of  the  Palace  Bridge,  they  found  Fedor 
waiting  for  them  in  a  sled. 

Wanda  jumped  into  the  light,  graceful  vehicle,  and  took 
the  reins;  Katia  seated  herself  by  her  side;  Fedor  climbed 
up  behind,  and  the  spirited  little  horse  dashed  away,  strik- 
ing fire  from  the  stones  of  the  street,  in  its  rapid  pace. 

It  was  a  lovely  winter's  night!  one  of  those  polar 
nights  in  which  the  the  moon  shines  with  a  clear,  icy 
light,  in  which  the  starlight  is  intense,  and  the  crystallized 
snow  glistens  like  powdered  marble.  The  cold  was 
sharp  and  cut  like  a  knife;  but  the  ardor  which  burned 
in  Wanda's  heart  rendered  her  quite  insensible  to  the 
weather. 

She  did  not  even  glance  around  her,  to  gaze  upon  the 
superb  spectacle  that  Petersburg  presented,  as  it  lay 
clothed  in  the  blue  rays  of  the  winter  moon. 

Before  her,  in  Vassili  Ostrow,  the  Merchant's  Exchange, 
the  Custom  House,  and  the  University  Buildings,  stood 
out,  clearly  defined  in  the  cold  light.  Behind  them,  upon 
the  island  of  Petersburg,  could  be  seen  the  black  out- 
lines of  the  Fort;  while  above  them  all,  towered  the  bold 
spire  of  the  church  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul. 

Across  the  river  could  be  seen  a  corner  of  the  Winter 
Palace,  Alexander's  monument  with  its  angel,  the  im- 
mense palace  of  the  admiralty,  and  the  gigantic  silhouette 
of  St.  Isaac's  Cathedral,  with  its  four  bell  towers,  its  tiara 
of  columns,  and  its  golden  cupola.  Over  all,  flakes  of  snow, 
like  touches  of  light,  brought  out  the  effect  of  the  archi- 
tecture. 

The  great  river  looked  like  a  white  valley.  Here  and 
there  lay  a  few  boats  frozen  stiff  in  the  ice. 

Wanda,  instead  of  turning  up  towards  the  Nicholas 
bridge,  drove  towards  the  Neva,  which  is  frozen  so  hard 
in  winter  that  it  can  be  driven  over  without  danger. 

The  sled  creaked  on  the  hard  snow,  as  does  a  diamond 
when  it  cuts  a  pane  of  glass. 

Leaning  back,  Wanda  held  the  reins  in  her  small  nerv- 
ous hands,  for  her  animal  needed  to  be  held  in.  He  trot- 
ted across  the  river  as  securely  as  though  he  were  on  the 


36  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

high  road.  The  smoke  flew  from  his  nostrils.  His  whole 
body  was  steaming,  and  his  tail,  covered  with  little  icicles, 
shone  like  diamonds. 

She  turned  her  horse's  head  into  Vassili  Ostrow,  and 
drove  quickly  through  a  perfect  labyrinth  of  streets. 

She  stopped  before  a  tall,  large  house,  such  as  the  spec- 
ulators are  at  present  building  in  Petersburg.  Katia 
jumped  down. 

"  I  shall  be  here  again  at  two  o'clock,  or  at  half  past 
two  at  the  latest,"  she  said. 

"On!  on!"  cried  the  Princess. 

The  horse  started  off  like  the  wind. 

At  the  end  of  five  minutes,  Wanda  stopped  her  sled 
again,  and  throwing  the  reins  to  Fedor,  got  out. 

"  Wait  for  me,"  she  said  to  the  servant. 

She  went  up  a  little  alley.  About  midway  she  per- 
ceived, standing  in  a  doorway,  a  human  form,  muffled  up 
to  its  eyes  in  a  fur  cloak.  She  involuntarily  gave  a  start, 
and  instantly  entered  a  house  that  she  had  evidently  been 
looking  for. 

A  porter  came  towards  her.* 

He  said : 

"  Russia." 

She  answered : 

"  Liberty." 

Then  she  opened  a  door.  Ho  led  her  into  a  room  on 
the  ground  floor,  where  by  the  dim  light  of  a  lantern  she 
could  distinguish  his  features. 

"  Ah  !  is  it  you,  Korolef  ?  "  she  said  to  the  pretended 
dvornik. 

"Just  now,  as  I  came  in,  I  thought  I  saw  a  man,  who 
seemed  to  be  watching  me." 

"  I  suppose  the  house  has  been  denounced,"  answered 
Korolef,  very  quietly.  "  It  don't  matter  if  they  do  sur- 
round it  ;  they  won't  find  anything." 

"  I  trust  to  your  prudence,"  said  Wanda.  "  Go  on  ;  I 
will  follow  you." 

They   crossed   several   large  rooms,   poorly  furnished. 

•In  Russia  the  porters,  or  dvorniks,  always  watch  outside  of  the  houses. 


THE  SECRET  COUNCIL.  37 

They  heard  nothing  but  the  sound  of  their  own  footsteps, 
and  yet  the  house  seemed  to  be  inhabited. 

"  Have  you  heard  from  the  police  ?"  asked  Wanda. 

«  No." 

"  They  are  going  to  make  some  arrests — take  care." 

Then  they  entered  a  long  passage-way. 

"  Where  are  you  taking  me  ?  "  questioned  Wanda. 

"  I  am  going  to  take  you  before  the  Revolutionary  Com- 
mittee." 

They  stepped  before  a  door,  which  opened  into  a  sort 
of  cellar,  in  which  were  some  barrels  and  a  chest.  Koro- 
lef  pushed  aside  the  chest,  and  touched  a  spring.  A 
small,  skillfully  concealed  opening  in  the  wall  was  dis- 
closed, revealing  a  narrow  stairway. 

Korolef  began  to  descend  the  steps,  Wanda  following 
him.  When  they  reached  the  bottom,  they  found  them- 
selves in  a  low,  damp  cellar;  and  Wanda  heard  steady 
thuds,  like  the  throbbing  of  an  engine. 

"What  is  that  noise?"  said  she. 

"You  will  soon  see,"  answered  Korolef. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  SECEET  COUNCIL. 

IN  an  underground  room,  adorned  with  neither  paint- 
ings nor  hangings  of  any  kind,  five  persons  sat  around  a 
table  littered  over  with  pamphlets  and  papers  of  every 
description.  They  were  discussing  in  the  simplest  manner 
matters  of  the  greatest  import. 

These  five  men  were  the  leaders  of  the  Nihilist  party, 
the  recognized  chiefs  of  a  propaganda  which,  properly 
speaking,  is  not  a  secret  society;  for  in  Russia  every  one 
knows  the  danger  of  secret  societies.  The  members  of 
this  confraternity  are  bound  by  no  oath,  but  they  under- 


38  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

stand  that  traitors  must  suffer  death.  A  small  number 
are  wealthy,  and  belong  to  the  nobility. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  write,  there  were  about  five 
hundred  in  all,  men  and  women.  The  Russian  women 
play  a  very  important  role  in  this  movement.  They  have 
proved  themselves  to  be  even  more  ardent  and  enthusias- 
tic than  the  men. 

The  world  is  astonished  at  the  female  element  which 
is  mixed  up  with  this  social  struggle.  The  cause  of  it  is, 
the  deep  sense  of  justice  and  brotherhood,  that,  spite  of 
the  atheistic  radicalism  of  the  Nihilists,  permeates  their 
doctrine,  touching  all  young  and  tender  hearts  with  in- 
dignation at  the  misery,  the  corruption,  the  iniquity  of 
their  country.  And  the  women,  mingling,  as  they  do, 
very  little  in  public  life,  have  escaped  the  degrading  ser- 
vility which  is  found  everywhere  in  Russia,  and  which 
early  in  life  blunts  all  sense  of  independence  and  dignity. 

These  apostles  offer  up  their  bodies,  their  affections, 
their  fortunes,  their  very  lives,  even,  to  the  cause.  They 
do  not  promise  unreasoning  obedience  to  any  one;  for 
the  Russian  socialist  acknowledges  no  fetter  to  his  indi- 
vidual will;  the  greater  part  are  anarchists,  and  resist 
every  kind  of  authority.  But,  with  one  accord,  they 
give  in  their  adherence  to  the  printed  directions  of  the 
Committee.  Their  every  act,  their  every  thought,  has 
but  one  aim  :  the  freedom  of  Russia,  and  the  total 
transformation  of  society.  And  they  have  devoted 
themselves  to  this  work,  quietly,  unostentatiously,  unen- 
thusiastically. 

But  the  enthusiasm  is  within;  it  fires  their  breast,  it 
burns  within  their  heart,  it  shows  itself  by  a  ceaseless 
activity,  a  boundless  self-sacrifice,  a  heroism  such  as  great 
periods  of  revolution  can  alone  produce.  Such  was  the 
birth  of  Christianity,  of  the  Reformation,  of  the  French 
Revolution;  great  injustice  brings  forth  great  lovers  of 
justice;  terrible  sufferings  arouse  avengers;  the  wrath  of 
the  people  rises  in  arms  against  despotism. 

To-day,  Russia,  half  barbarous,  half  civilized,  holds 
within  her  the  vices  of  these  two  social  conditions. 


THE  SECRET  COUNCIL.  39 

"  The  Russian  falsehood,"  writes  Hertzen,  "  the  Rus- 
sian contagion,  commences  at  the  Emperor  and  goes  down 
from  soldier  to  soldier,  from  jailer  to  jailer,  even  to  the 
little  hanger-on  of  the  Commissary  of  Police  in  the  most 
remote  district  of  the  Empire.  Thus  it  rolls  on,  ever  gath- 
ering, like  Dante's  Bolgi,  a  fresh  power  of  evil,  a  greater 
intensity  of  depravity  and  tyranny,  a  living  pyramid  of 
crime,  of  abuses,  of  shocks,  of  blows,  of  German  rulers, 
heartless  and  rapacious,  of  ignorant,  drunken  judges,  of 
.fawning  aristocrats;  all  bound  together  as  accomplices, 
as  sharers  in  the  booty,  and,  last  of  all,  supported  by  one 
hundred  thousand  bayonets." 

The  camp  opposed  to  this  official  Russia  consisted  but 
yesterday  of  a  handful  of  individuals,  threatening,  striving 
to  unveil  the  Truth.  To-day  the  camp  holds  a  legion  of 
men. 

Noble  army!  They  see  one  another  tortured,  dragged 
to  prison,  exiied  to  Siberia,  condemned  to  work  in  the 
mines — that  is,  to  a  slow  death.  They  accept  the  mar- 
tyrdom, they  continue  their  gloomy  and  unequal  struggle, 
without  knowing  how  it  will  end,  so  that  they  may,  even 
at  a  far  off  day,  make  sure  the  freedom  of  the  Russian 
people,  the  triumph  of  their  democratic  and  socialistic 
views. 

These  five  men  composed  the  famous  Revolutionary 
Committee,  which  already  had,  more  than  once,  by  its 
swift  punishments,  thrown  terror  into  the  official  camp. 

What  was  their  appearance? 

One  could  read  in  their  faces  firmness,  and  calm,  high 
emprise. 

Besides,  they  were  men  of  mark,  representing  the 
university,  the  clergy,  the  army,  and  journalism. 

Andrew  Padlewsky  was  descended  from  a  noble  Polish 
family.  In  the  insurrection  of  '62,  he  had  seen  his  father 
and  his  brother  killed  by  his  side.  At  heart,  he  hated 
his  country's  assassins.  He  held,  nevertheless,  a  very 
important  position  in  the  Russian  government;  but  he 
had  only  taken  the  place  so  as  better  to  understand  its 
machinery,  in  order  to  serve  his  vengeance.  He  had  all 


40  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

the  ardor,  the  mettle,  the  romantic  fearlessness,  which 
characterize  the  children  of  Poland.  He  first  conceived 
the  idea  of  this  society,  and  gathered  together  its  earli- 
est members.  At  court  his  influence  was  so  great  that 
it  placed  him  quite  above  all  suspicion. 

Doctor  Arcadius  Poloutkin  was  a  learned  professor  in 
the  University.  His  mind  leaned,  in  more  ways  than 
one,  towards  the  modern  school  of  philosophy.  The 
study  of  men's  physical  and  moral  nature  had  led  him  to 
this  conclusion:  namely,  that  the  present  system  of  social 
order,  based  as  it  is  upon  restraint,  is  false,  fatally  en- 
gendering every  corruption,  every  deflection,  every  mis- 
ery; the  true  system  of  social  order  should  be  in  har- 
mony with  human  nature,  and  should  assure  to  every  in- 
dividual the  full  development  of  his  powers  and  of  his 
faculties. 

This  forms  the  subject  of  an  important  work,  lately 
published,  called  "  The  New  Law."  Another  book,  which 
bears  as  its  title  "  Discarded  Opinions,"  cuts  down,  as 
with  an  axe,  by  its  inflexible  logic,  the  numerous  philo- 
sophical errors  of  our  pretended  enlightened  century. 

Sophronius  Komoif  was  a  journalist,  with  a  biting 
but  vigorous  pen.  It  was  he  who  edited  the  Secret 
Gazette. 

Kostia  Narkileff  held  a  high  position  in  the  orthodox 
church.  Consequently  he  thoroughly  understood  the 
vices  of  both  the  white  and  the  black  *  clergy,  both  of 
whom  are  equally  hated  for  their  rapacity,  and  for  the 
odious  manner  in  which  they  work  upon  the  superstition 
and  the  ignorance  of  the  people.  Kostia  Narkileff  pos- 
sessed much  personal  influence  and  a  large  fortune,  both 
of  which  he  offered  unreservedly  to  this  work  of  regener- 
ation. 

The  fifth  person,  a  very  dignified  man,  seemed  to  be 
the  president  of  the  meeting,  as  much  by  reason  of  his 
age  as  by  the  weight  of  his  opinion.  He  was  Woldemar 
Siline.  He  was  seventy-five  years  old  ;  an  old  soldier. 
At  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  had  taken  part  in  the 

•  The  married  and  the  unmarried  clergy  are  so  called  in  Russia. 


THE  SECRET  COUNCIL.  41 

insurrection  of  1825;  he  had  passed  thirty  years  of  his  life 
in  Siberia.  At  Alexander's  succession,  thanks  to  the 
amnesty,  he  had  been  allowed  to  return  to  Petersburg; 
but  in  all  these  twenty  years  he  had  never  ceased  plot- 
ting. A  Prince  in  his  own  right,  nearly  allied  to  the 
Romanoffs,  he  had  entered  into  the  revolutionary  move- 
ment, he  said,  to  wash  out  the  stain  in  his  blood. 

There  were  two  vacant  places  at  the  table;  one  was 
the  chair  of  Michael  Federoff,  who  was  engaged  in  pub- 
lishing a  revolutionary  paper  at  Geneva;  the  other  was 
that  of  an  officer  of  the  army,  high  in  rank,  who  at  that 
moment  was  serving  in  Turkey. 

Sophronius  Kom'off  had  just  finished  reading  an  article 
which  was  to  appear  the  next  day  in  the  revolutionary 
Gazette: 

"  The  war  is  over.  What  has  it  cost?  Naive  question. 
What  cares  our  Little  Father*  the  Czar,  how  many  millions 
have  been  spent,  or  how  many  men  killed?  Has  it  not  all 
been  for  his  glory?  From  cabin  to  cabin,  as  far  as  the 
frontiers  of  China,  his  officers  will  go,  gathering  afresh 
the  wherewithal  to  fill  his  imperial  treasury ;  and  among 
the  three  million  souls  who  yearly  see  the  the  light  in  his 
domains,  he  can  always  provide  enough  handsome  men 
to  keep  guard  at  his  palace-door,  or  to  furnish  food  for  his 
cannon  to  mow  down  with  grape-shot. 

"And  yet,  the  Czar  dare  not  lay  his  hand  upon  his 
booty.  There  are  other  wolves  standing  around,  and 
watching  it  with  jealous  eye;  and  the  Chancellor  of  Ger- 
many, just  now  the  most  powerful  man  in  the  world,  has 
not  uttered  his  deep  voice. 

"  As  soon  as  he  shall  speak,  fifty-one  hundred  million 
of  men,  who  adore  success,  will  take  their  cue  from  him, 
will  form  &  public  opinion,  to  which  Bismarck  can  easily 
add  five  hundred  thousand  guns  and  ten  thousand  can- 
nons. These  pressing  reasons,  the  government  of  Peters- 
burg will  learn  to  understand  at  a  glance. 

"  To  be  sure,  we  can  not  see  into  the  mind  of  those 

*In  Russia,  they  generally  call  the  Czar,  Father,  or  "  Little  Father,"  which 
is  a  term  of  endearment  among  them.. 


42  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

who  arrogate  to  themselves  the  right  to  dispose  of  the  fate 
of  the  people.  But  yet,  the  cause  of  contemporary  history 
leads  us  to  foresee  that  the  smaller  states  will  be  drawn 
into  the  orbit  of  the  great  powers.  Might  is  stronger 
than  right. 

"  And,  as  for  us,  nihilist  warriors,  what  are  we  in 
presence  of  these  great  states,  of  the  enormous  machines 
of  war  and  destruction  ? 

"We  are  Free  Thought,  we  are  Conscience,  we  are 
Science  and  Justice,  we  are  the  Modern  Idea,  we  are 
Progress  which  nothing  can  shackle,  which  moves,  which- 
advances  ceaselessly;  we  are  the  stream  which  soon  will 
break  through  every  embankment. 

"Tremble,  despots!  Tremble,  slayers  of  mankind! 
You  may  triumph  to-day;  but  ye  are  destined  soon  to 
be  overcome." 

The  article  having  been  warmly  received,  the  jour- 
nalist disappeared  behind  a  portiere  that  concealed  the 
opening  into  a  dark  passage-way. 

At  the  end  of  this  passage  could  be  heard  the  steady 
sound  of  a  printing-press  in  opeiation.  This  was  the 
noise  that  had  astonished  Wanda. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    SECRET   CORKESPONDENOE.* 

NARKTLEFF,  who  had  charge  of  the  correspondence,  was 
reading  aloud  the  most  authentic  letters.  The  most  of 
these  were  numbered,  and  were  either  forwarded  by 
special  couriers  or  in  other  indirect  ways,  for  they  could 
not  trust  the  post. 

They  were  made  up  in  two  packages — the  foreign  cor- 
respondence and  the  Russian  correspondence. 

*This  correspondence  is  authentic. 


THE  SECRET  CORRESPONDENCE.  43 

"  I  have  read  them  all  through,"  he  said  ;  "  I  will  sum 
up  the  most  important  matters  for  your  consideration." 

VIENNA. 

"  Arrest  of  a  number  of  Polish  and  Russian  socialists 
for  having  disseminated  throughout  Hungary  certain  pro- 
hibited books  and  pamphlets." 

ATHENS. 

"Organization  of  a  socialist  newspaper,  The  Demo- 
crat; the  editors  have  been  sent  to  prison." 

BERLIN. 

"  The  socialist  party  in  Germany  are  making  such  daily 
progress  that  even  Bismarck's  nerves  are  so  excited  that 
he  cannot  sleep.  As  he  is  unable  to  control  the  move- 
ment, or  to  bribe  the  leaders,  he  has  found  a  man  of 
straw,  who  has  organized  a  Working-Man's  Guild.  The 
working  men  join  it,  but  laugh  at  it  in  their  sleeve." 

ENGLAND. 

"  The  situation  grows  more  intense,  more  gloomy. 

"  The  price  of  all  produce  and  manufactures  has  been 
reduced.  From  this  has  resulted  horrible  misery,  and  a 
series  of  strikes  in  the  agricultural  as  well  as  in  the 
mining  districts. 

"Throughout  the  country  ill  feeling,  agitation,  and 
protests  from  the  workmen  in  London;  strike  of  the 
stone-masons." 

BELGIUM. 

"  The  struggle  between  the  masters  and  the  workmen 
is  on  the  increase.  Serious  insurrection  at  Seraing.  Sev- 
eral killed  and  wounded." 

ITALY. 

"  Troubles  at  Ferrara  and  Vallambrosa.  Frightful  pov- 
erty, which  helps  on  the  socialist  cause.  They  stretch  out 
their  hands  to  us  across  the  distance,  and  cry  out '  Be 
strong.'" 

"We  will  be,"  said  Prince  Siline.  "This  important 
foreign  correspondence  must  figure  in  our  next  number." 


4:4  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  All  the  nations,"  added  Narktleff,  "are,  as  it  were,  in 
the  throes  of  child-birth,  and  they  will  soon  bring  forth 
Freedom.  Now  let  us  read  our  home  correspondence.'} 

SAMARA. 

"  Mascha  Soubotine,  condemned  as  a  Nihilist,  has  just 
expired,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  in  a  little  village  where 
she  was  confined,  far  from  her  friends,  with  neither  money 
nor  supplies.  Others  are  dying." 

"  We  must  immediately  send  them  assistance,"  said 
Doctor  Poloutkin. 

*'  The  difficulty  is,"  objected  Padlewsky,  "how  to  get  it 
to  them  without  our  being  discovered." 

"  We  must  send  some  one  expressly  for  the  purpose," 
said  the  Prince. 

"  The  martyrdom  of  Mascha,*  far  from  alarming  or  dis- 
couraging her  two  sisters,  has,  on  the  contrary,  increased 
their  zeal  for  the  cause.  Beautiful,  rich,  cultivated,  they 
have  given  up  the  world,  their  wealth,  the  joys  of  mar- 
ried life,  to  devote  themselves  entirely  to  this  apostle- 
ship." 

"  We  must,"  said  Sophronius,  "  publish  a  biography  of 
these  three  heroines,  and  also  one  of  Sophia  Bardine,  of 
Olga,  and  Vera  Lioubatowitch,  and  of  Alexandra  Kahr- 
jewskaia." 

"Here,"  continued  Narkileff,  "is  something  impor- 
tant." 

ROSTOFF    ON   THE  DON. 

"  The  traitor  Akim  Niconoff  has  been  put  to  death  by 
our  men :  they  shot  him  nine  times,  and  placed  upon  his 
breast  this  inscription:  ^  Killed  for  denunciation  of  the 
Russian  Nihilists?  The  letter  goes  on  to  say:  'We 
are  tracked  like  wild  beasts;  we  are  arrested,  stifled  in 
prison.  In  order  to  drag  the  names  of  our  accomplices 
from  us,  they  subject  us  to  horrible  torture;  and,  while 
we  incur  the  most  odious  punishments  for  the  cause  of 
the  people,  there  are  yet  found  men  void  of  honor  and  of 
conscience,  who,  either  from  terror  of  the  government  or 

*  She  is  an  historical  character. 


THE  SECRET  CORRESPONDENCE.  45 

greed  of  money,  betray  us  and  deliver  us  into  the  hands 
of  our  implacable  enemies.  We  have  the  consciousness 
that  we  have  done  a  deed  of  noble  justice  in  striking  down 
the  traitor.  We  shall,  in  future,  take  care  to  protect 
ourselves  against  these  Judases!  " 

WOLHINIA. 

"  Princess  Tizianoff  writes  us  that  she  has  decided  to 
conclude  a  fictitious  marriage  which  will  put  her  in  pos- 
session of  her  mother's  fortune,  as  Katarina  Kambrecde- 
lidze  has  lately  done. " 

"  We  can  but  approve  of  such  a  determination,"  an- 
swered Narkileff. 

PROVINCE  OF  KHERSON. 

"  Here  is  a  letter  from  Odessa,"  continued   Narkileff: 

"The  government,  in  order  to  gain  the  confidence  of 
the  peasants  and  the  working  classes,  has  sent  among 
them  agents  in  disguise,  to  watch  our  movements.  But 
they  were  unmasked  in  a  wire-gauze  factory.  When 
they  were  threatened  with  violence  they  absconded. 
They  were  recognized  by  their  conversation,  ad  by  the 
clumsy  manner  in  which  they  went  to  work." 

"  In  fact,"  said  Siline,  "  they  are  not  upheld  as  we  are 
by  a  great  heart  and  a  burning  faith!  How  many  low- 
born soldiers  can  they  constrain,  even  by  the  promise  of 
high  wages,  to  learn  a  trade,  to  work  fourteen  hours  a  day, 
to  lead  the  miserable  life  of  the  working-man!  We  need 
stand  in  no  fear  of  such  spies;  they  will  soon  grow  tired 
of  it." 

Narkileff  continued : 

KIEFF. 

"  Our  friends  in  Kieff  have  succeeded  in  getting  up  an 
enthusiastic  little  community,  but  they  are  so  followed 
up  by  the  police  that  quite  a  number  have  passed  over 
into  Wolhinia." 

MOSCOW. 

"  News  excellent.  Everything  goes  on  as  we  could 
desire.  The  new  nihilist  paper  has  struck  off  twenty- 
thousand  proofs.  There  are  now  two  bands  of  indefati- 


46  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

gable  -workers  who  have  begun  to  branch  out  into  the 
province  of  Vladimir,  even  as  far  as  Perm." 

EKATERINOSLAV. 

"  Three  young  ladies  of  good  birth  have  left  their 
families,  and  have  become  '  simplified.'  They  have  ar- 
rived at  Ekaterinoslav,  dressed  as  workmen.  As  they 
have  never  learnt  a  trade,  they  have  nobly  undertaken 
the  commonest  kind  of  work.  They  have  only  been 
here  a  few  months,  but  already  in  the  factory  in  which 
they  are  employed  there  is  a  marked  change  in  favor  of 
our  views.  Every  evening  they  go  about  among  the 
hovels  of  the  poor  and  preach  the  new  gospel.  At  first 
they  were  shunned,  but  the  peasants  are  beginning  to  be 
less  distrustful  than  they  were." 

NIDIT   NOVGOROD. 

"  Ida  Petiveff  wishes   to  join  our  society.     She  is  a 

firl  of  abandoned  life,  who  has  inspired  a  passion  in  the 
eart  of  an  old  Jew  named  Isaacs.     If  we  will  admit  her 
she  offers  to  get  the  old  man  to  make  a  will  in  our  favor 
leaving  us  one  hundred  thousand  roubles." 

"  Write  instantly  that  we  refuse,"  interrupted  Siline. 
"  The  cause  is  too  pure,  too  fair,  to  accept  of  such  aid." 

KIAZAN. 

"  We  are  asked  for  fifty  thousand  copies  of  the  pam- 
phlet, '  The  Four  Brothers ';  one  thousand  of  'Why  is  not 
the  Land  Ours?'  five  thousand  of  'A  Clean  Sweep'; 
and,  finally,  a  thousand  copies  of  our  paper,  Zemlia  y 
volia*.  Korolef  will  forward  them  to-morrow." 

GRODNO. 

"Ah!  bad  news,"  continued  Narkileff.  "The  pam- 
phlets that  Michael  Federoff  forwarded  us  from  Geneva 
have  been  seized  on  the  frontier.  Soubarieff  has  been 
arrested. 

"  My  dear  Komoff,"  said  Siline,  "  write  at  once  to 
Federoff ;  tell  him  to  send  us  more  pamphlets,  but  to  be 

"Land  and  Liberty.  • 


THE  SECRET  CORRESPONDENCE.  47 

more  careful.  Instead  of  sending  them  by  way  of 
Prussia,  let  him  forward  them  to  Gontonewski,  Ostrow, 
where  one  of  our  devoted  friends,  who  is  in  the  custom- 
house, will  see  that  they  reach  us." 

TVER. 

"Here  is  a  letter  from  Sartoff.  He  will  set  out  for 
Siberia  in  two  days  disguised  as  a  Jewish  peddler.  He 
has  sent  for  our  dispatches  ;  are  they  ready  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Sophronius. 

"  To-morrow  let  Korolef  take  them  to  him,  as  well  as 
sixty  thousand  roubles,  a  list  of  the  several  amounts  to 
be  divided  among  our  friends,  according  to  their  position, 
their  age  and  their  health." 

"  Indeed,"  added  Narkileff,  "our  last  despatches  from 
Siberia  are  very  good.  Our  best  allies  are  there.  The 
Poles  and  all  the  other  exiles  make  a  formidable  party. 
The  native  Siberians  themselves  hate  the  Russian  rule, 
and,  at  a  given  signal,  they  and  the  exiles  together  will 
rise  en  masse" 

GENEVA. 

"  Federoff  writes  to  us  that  his  printing  press  cannot 
turn  out  the  pamphlets  fast  enough  ;  they  are  written 
for  from  Moscow,  Kieff,  and  Odessa.  He  advises  us  to 
multiply  the  secret  presses  in  Russia." 

"  He  is  right,"  said  Siline. 

""VVe  hear  from  Kharkoff,"  continued  Kornoff,  "that 
they  have  succeeded  in  establishing  one  at  the  house 
of  a  very  distinguished  man." 

Federoff  goes  on  to  say  : 

"  Above  all,  be  prudent ;  do  not  compromise  yourselves 
by  too  much  haste  and  impatience  ;  follow  the  advice  of 
Bakounin.  It  is  by  conviction,  slowly  penetrating  into 
the  masses,  that  revolution  can  alone  bring  forth  lasting 
fruit.  I  am  working  up  a  clearly  denned  programme  anil 
a  plan  of  organization,  without  which  we  shall  obtain  no 
results.  Although  some  of  our  friends  are  opposed  to  it, 
we  can  never  gain  the  masses  without  a  fixed  plan  of 
action — without  concentration  of  authority,  although  we 


48  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

may  be  free  to  break  through^this  authority  after  we  have 
succeeded." 

"I  agree  with  him,"  said  Siline. 

Komoff  went  on  reading. 

"Again,  we  must  desire  that  which  is  possible;  we 
must  content  ourselves  with  a  certain  amount  of  liberty  ; 
and  thanks  to  that  liberty,  we  shall  attain  our  final  aim." 

"That  is  quite  reasonable,"  added  Siline.  "We  can 
only  conquer  the  people  entirely  by  instructing  them.  I 
remember  that  in  1825  the  soldiers  were  so  ignorant  that 
in  order  to  get  them  to  cry  '  Long  live  the  Constitution  ! ' 
we  had  to  make  them  believe  that  that  word  meant  the 
wife  of  Constantine.  What  can  one  expect  from  a  race  so 
sunk  in  ignorance  ?" 


CHAPTER   V. 

THE    REVOLUTIONARY   MAIDEN. 

PRINCE  SILINE  looked  at  his  watch. 

"One  o'clock  !  Wanda  Kryloff  should  be  here  in  a 
minute.  She  is  a  noble  character.  According  to  my 
advice,  and  Padlewsky  agrees  with  me,  she  should  be  ad- 
mitted as  one  of  the  Committee,  on  account  of  the  service 
that  she  can  render  to  the  cause!  " 

"A  young  girl  twenty  years  of  age,"  objected  Narki- 
leff,  "  a  beauty  besides,  can  at  any  moment  fall  in  love  ; 
and  who  will  answer  to  us  for  the  revelations  that  she 
may  make  to  the  man  she  loves  ?  Is  it  not  rather  thought- 
less to  lay  bare  the  business  of  the  Committee  ?" 

"  It  is  evident,"  cried  Padlewsky,  "  that  you  do  not 
know  Wanda  Kryloff.  Not  only  is  she  as  beautiful  as  a 
heroine  of  romance,  but  she  is  also  as  perfect.  There  is 
no  loftier  mind,  no  nobler  soul  than  hers  !  Besides,  she 
will  be  bound  to  us  by  a  family  secret." 


THE  REVOLUTIONARY  MAIDEN  49 

"Ah  !"  answered  Poloutkin,  "as  usual,  dear  Padlews- 
ky,  you  reason  after  a  very  exaggerated  manner.  Women 
are  very  weak  and  fickle,  and  when  once  their  affections 
are  engaged. ..." 

"How,  Doctor?"  cried  Padlewsky,  excitedly,  "is  that 
your  opinion  of  women  ?  You  think,  perhaps,  that  because 
their  flesh  is  softer  than  ours,  their  moral  nature  is  also  ! 
If  they  have  less  muscle,  they  have  more  nerve.  Yes,  I 
maintain  that  a  woman,  once  possessed  by  an  idea,  is 
stronger  for  her  cause  than  the  strongest  man.  She  will 
perform  acts  of  heroism  before  which  we  shrink." 

"Is  it  for  us,"  continued  Siliiie,  "  who  see  them  at  work 
day  by  day,  to  doubt  their  perseverance  and  their  energy? 
In  devotion,  in  fearlessness,  they  prove  themselves  our 
equals,  and  we  should  treat  them  as  such." 

"  I  have  presented  Wanda  Kryloff.  I  will  answer  for 
her  with  my  head,"  said  Padlewsky. 

At  this  moment  Sophronius  returned,  bringing  with 
him  Wanda. 

She  held  out  her  hand  to  the  Prince  and  to  Padlewsky. 

"Ah!"  she  exclaimed,  "I  know  these  other  gentle- 
men; I  remember  to  have  seen  them  at  the  Club.  These 
are  our  friends,  Narkileff,  Komoff,  and  Poloutkin." 

Then  she  cast  her  eyes  around  the  room  that  she  had 
just  entered. 

"You  see,"  said  Padlewsky,  laughing,  "you  are  now 
in  the  Devil's  Cave.  Here  is  the  place  where  the  dark- 
est plots  are  hatched,  where  the  most  incendiary  articles 
of  the  underground  press  are  concocted.  Did  you  not 
expect  to  see  a  frightful  scene,  black  and  red  hangings, 
trap-doors,  opening  occasionally  to  admit  glimpses  of 
hell  beneath?  Well!  here  is  the  hall  of  the  Revolution- 
ary Committee;  and  allow  me  to  present  the  five  head 
conspirators,  who  have  undertaken  to  overturn  an  empire 
of  one  hundred  million  men." 

"  Indeed,"  said  Wanda,  recovering  from  her  surprise, 
"  this  is  not  at  all  the  idea  that  I  had  formed  in  my  own 
mind  of  this  formidable  Committee." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  Siline,  "  you  may  have  heard  of  the 
4 


50  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

rather  theatrical  initiation  of  the  Free  Masons.  We 
thought  that  our  situation  was  too  serious  for  any  such 
child's  play.  What  is  the  good  of  test-oaths  ?  We 
only  admit  into  our  society  persons  whom  we  know  to  be 
incorruptible.  We  kill  the  traitors.  Niconoff  has  just 
been  killed.  This  vengeance  seems  terrible,  but  it  is  nec- 
essary, in  order  to  prevent  informers,  to  secure  our  indi- 
vidual safety,  and  to  insure  the  safety  of  our  undertaking. 
Do  you  feel  yourself  strong  enough,  Wanda  Kryloff,  to 
keep  our  secrets?" 

As  he  uttered  these  words  the  Prince  fixed  his  eyes 
upon  the  young  girl's  face.  He  could  detect  there  neither 
agitation  nor  fear;  he  discovered  there,  on  the  contrary, 
an  inflexible  will. 

She  answered  with  perfect  simplicity: 

"I  have  the  strength,  the  will,  and  the  faith;  the 
strength  to  keep  a  secret,  the  will  to  act,  the  faith  to  suc- 
ceed. For  this  righteous  cause  I  am  ready  to  sacrifice  my 
position,  my  fortune,  and  my  life. " 

"  It  is  necessary  for  us  to  know,"  continued  the  Prince, 
"  what  motives  have  drawn  you  into  the  nihilistic 
movement." 

"  The  sentiment  of  justice,"  answered  Wanda;  "pity 
for  the  oppressed,  the  hatred  of  oppressors  and  execu- 
tioners. The  personal  motives  which  actuate  me  are  the 
dismal  recollections  that  darkened  all  my  childhood." 

"  One  more  question  I  must  ask  you,"  continued  Si- 
line.  "  You  will  see  at  once  that  it  is  necessary  for  me  to 
do  so,  Are  you  in  love  with  any  one,  or  are  you  en- 
gaged to  be  married?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  of  marriage,"  she  said,  "and  whatever 
inclination  I  may  have  for  any  one,  I  have  perfect  con- 
trol of  my  will.  I  understand  that  an  apostle  must  de- 
vote himself  unreservedly  to  his  work.  I  should  never 
consent  to  marry  any  man  who  did  not  hold  the  same 
views  with  me,  and  who  would  not  be  willing  to  devote 
himself  unreservedly  to  the  sacrifice." 

"  Still  more  is  necessary.  You  must  renounce  mar- 
riage, which  is  incompatible  with  the  great  and  lofty 


THE  REVOLUTIONARY  MAIDEN.  51 

mission  we  wish  to  accomplish.  Will  you  promise  to 
lead  a  celibate  life  until  the  triumph  of  the  Revolution?  " 

"Yes,  until  the  freedom  of  the  Russian  people." 

"  Are  you  ready  to  swear  it  ?  "  said  Siline,  who,  as  an 
old  conspirator,  had  a  prejudice  in  favor  of  oaths,  al- 
though the  present  nihilists  disown  them  as  being  op- 
posed to  individual  self-respect. 

"  I  swear  it,"  answered  the  young  girl,  who  offered  up 
her  heart  as  she  had  offered  up  her  life,  with  the  same 
calm  resolution,  with  the  same  sublime  self-sacrifice. 

"  Then,  Wanda  Kryloff,  as  we  have  entire  confidence 
in  you,  I  propose  to  you,  in  the  name  of  the  five  mem- 
bers of  the  Committee  here  present,  and  of  the  two  ab- 
sent ones,  who  will  ratify  what  we  have  done,  to  admit 
you  into  our  Committee,  in  which  the  female  element  up 
to  this  time  has  never  been  represented,  and  to  take 
part  in  our  private  deliberations." 

"But  allow  me  to  ask  one  question,"  said  Wanda: 
"Are  you  sure  that  in  admitting  me  to  your  deliberations 
you  have  not  been  too  much  influenced  by  my  rank  and 
fortune?  Katia  Lawiuska  is  a  woman  far  above  the 
average,  who  has  given  repeated  proofs  of  her  devotion. 
She  is  clever,  intelligent,  an  heroic  character,  and  yet 
you  never  thought  of  her." 

"  These  remarks  do  you  honor,"  answered  Wolvemar 
Siline,  "  and  show  the  nobility  of  your  heart.  But  in 
the  struggle  in  which  we  are  engaged  we  must  consider 
the  importance  that  individual  adherents  bring  to  our 
cause.  If  we  admit  Katia  Lawinska  into  our  Committee, 
we  should  have  to  admit  a  great  many  more  equally 
heroic.  But  in  order  to  keep  our  secret,  we  must  limit 
the  number.  Every  member  of  the  society  is  devoted 
to  the  work  ;  some  are  wealthy,  and  occupy  very  high 
positions  ;  but  we  only  admit  into  the  Committee  those 
who  can  render  us  exceptional  service." 

"  In  the  presence  of  all  of  you,  I  feel  so  little  and  so 
weak." 

"  You  have  the  irresistible  power  of  beauty.  You  can 
win  over  to  our  side  men  who  are  absolutely  necessary 
for  the  success  of  the  cause." 


52  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  do  not  know,"  said  Wanda,  "if  my  character  will 
lend  itself  to  the  role  that  you  wish  me  to  take.  How- 
ever, I  made  one  effort  this  evening." 

And  she  repeated  to  them  her  conversation  with  Alexis 
Verenine,  and  her  introduction  to  Prince  Stackelberg. 

"But,"  cried  out  the  conspirators,  "this  is  very  im- 
portant. If  you  can  bring  over  this  young  prince  attached 
to  the  Third  Section " 

"  Turn  this  systematic  German  into  a  revolutionist?  " 
exclaimed  Wanda,  "  that  would  be  difficult  indeed;  but  I 
wish  to  lay  a  little  plan  before  you,  that  Katia  and  I  have 
cherished  for  some  months.  Padlewsky,  you  sent  Katia 
to  me.  She  left  her  father's  house,  rather  than  see  that 
father  become  the  oppressor  of  his  brethren.  But  I,  in 
my  father's  house,  look  upon  just  such  a  sight.  Formerly 
he  used  to  whip  his -serfs,  now  he  exhausts  his  workmen 
and  makes  capital  of  their  labor  and  their  misery.  In 
spite  of  the  love  that  he  bears  me,  I  have  no  influence 
over  him.  He  thinks  himself  superior  to  these  men,  whom 
he  treats  as  beasts  of  burden.  I  have  not  the  courage  to 
condemn  him,  because  he  is  my  father;  but  his  character 
is  revolting  to  me.  To  be  longer  a  witness  to  such  sights 
is  beyond  my  strength.  I  have  determined  to  become 
*  simplified '  like  Katia,  and  to  embrace  the  apostolate.  She 
and  I  wish  to  learn  a  trade,  so  that  we  can  penetrate  into 
the  factories  and  colleges  of  Russia,  and  we  are  impatient 
to  commence  our  work.  In  Southern  Russia  there  are  a 
great  many  agricultural  and  industrial  associations.  We 
want  to  go  there  as  simple  workwomen,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  preach  our  New  Gospel  to  them." 

As  she  spoke  thus,  filled  with  the  enthusiasm  of  strong 
conviction,  Wanda  was  superb.  Her  inspired  glance, 
her  thrilling  sympathetic  voice,  fascinated  her  five  hearers. 

"You  will  be  the  liberator  of  Russia!"  cried  out  So- 
phronius  Komoff. 

"Doubtless,"  said  Siline,  "your  ambition  is  noble; 
but  I  think  you  can  do  something  more  profitable  for 
the  Cause.  Among  the  working  classes  we  have  already 
propagandists  enough.  Just  now  we  need  to  attract  to 


THE  CLUB.  53 


ourselves  members  of  the  best  society  of  Petersburg. 
We  desire  to  abolish  the  privileges  of  the  nobility,  and 
it  is  from  their  ranks  that  we  wish  to  make  recruits;  we 
wish  some  one  who  can  touch  the  heart  of  society;  you 
exactly  fit  this  role." 

"I  will  take  it,"  said  Wanda,  "although  I  dislike  to 
plav  the  part  of  a  coquette,  which  necessitates  a  certain 
amount  of  duplicity." 

"  The  oppressed  are  driven  to  stratagem.  Stratagem 
is  allowable  in  war,  and  we  have  declared  war." 

Wanda  assented. 

"  So,"  said  Narkileff,  "  according  to  what  Count  Vere- 
nine  told  you,  the  Emperor  paid  no  attention  to  our  dec- 
laration of  war  ?" 

"  So  he  thinks." 

"  We  looked  for  that,"  said  Sophronius  Komoff. 

"  Well,  then,"  added  Poloutkin,  "  in  our  next  number 
we  must  reprint  our  address  to  the  Czar,  and  comment 
in  strong  terms  upon  the  weakness  of  this  monarch,  who 
for  twenty  years  has  promised  reforms  without  ever 
granting  them." 

At  this  moment,  Korolef  entered  bringing  the  proofs. 

"  Will  you  take  the  Princess  out  ?"  said  Siline. 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  Korolef,  "  that  the  house  is  watched 
on  the  side  of  the  quay.  We  will  go  out  the  other  way." 

It  was  two  o'clock  in  the  morning. 


CHAPTER  VL 

THE     CLUB. 

WANDA  quitted  the  underground  chamber  by  quite  a 
different  way  from  the  one  which  she  had  followed  in 
entering  it.  Korolef  walked  with  her  to  her  sled. 

Fedor,  still  motionless  in  spite  of  the  intense  cold,  was 
waiting  for  her,  soothing  his  horse  to  keep  it  quiet. 


54  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  they  had  reached  the  tall  house 
which  Katia  had  gone  into  an  hour  before. 

"  Wait  for  me  at  the  quay  !  "  said  the  Princess  to  Fedor. 

Fedor  drove  off  instantly. 

.    She  went  towards  the  dvornik,  who,  as  is  the  custom  in 
Russia,  was  stationed  outside  of  the  house. 

"Will  you  let  me  in?" 

"Whom  do  you  want  to  see?" 

"Alexander  Lazareff,  the  engraver." 

The  dvornik,  stupefied  by  cold  and  vodka,*  gave  him- 
self a  shake,  and  admitted  her. 

Wanda  passed  through  the  porte-cochere,  climbed  three 
flights  of  steps,  and  knocked  at  a  door. 

A  small  opening,  concealed  in  the  woodwork,  revealed 
itself,  and  an  eye,  cautiously  applied,  scanned  the  land- 
ing and  the  staircase. 

Wanda  gave  her  name. 

Instantly  the  door,  grating  on  its  hinges,  flew  open. 

The  Princess  entered  a  little  ante-chamber,  furnished 
as  an  office  ;  out  of  this,  another  door,  provided  with  the 
same  little  wicket,  led  into  an  inner  apartment. 

"It  is  Wanda  Kryloff,"  said  a  voice  from  within;  in- 
stantly she  was  introduced  into  the  Hall  of  Assembly. 

This  was  quite  a  spacious  apartment,  lighted  by  lamps 
hanging  from  the  ceiling.  The  work-tables  had  been 
turned  into  tea-tables,  upon  which  stood  samovars]-  and 
glasses,  for  in  Russia  they  generally  drink  their  tea  out 
of  glasses.  On  these  tables  were  also  thrown  books,  pa- 
pers, and  pamphlets. 

About  fifty  persons  were  assembled  in  this  hall,  taking 
tea,  reading,  writing  or  talking. 

Most  of  them  were  engaged  in  conversation,  for  on 
this  particular  evening  there  was  no  especial  business  to 
be  transacted. 

It  was  one  of  those  friendly  daily  meetings  which  are 
held,  sometimes  here,  sometimes  there,  to  put  the  police 
off  the  track,  and  where  the  members  can  read  the  letters 

*  The  Russian  brandy. 

t  Russian  tea-pots  . 


THE  CLUB.  55 


of  their  friends  and  prohibited  printed  matter,  and  discuss 
the  action  of  the  government.  Whenever  a  member  of 
the  club  has  something  important  to  say,  he  asks  for  a 
moment's  silence,  and  instantly  every  one  listens  to  him 
with  attention. 

This  was  one  of  those  clubs  which  swarm  at  present  in 
Petersburg,  and  in  every  city  of  the  Empire;  for  in  the 
past  year  the  nihilist  movement  seems  to  have  taken  a 
most  accentuated  form. 

It  was  fifty  years  ago  when  this  movement  commenced; 
for  fifty  years  the  intelligent  and  educated  class  of  men 
has  struggled  against  Csesarism. 

After  the  death  of  Nicholas  the  fight  became  fiercer. 
The  act  of  emancipation  was  more  the  result  of  public 
opinion  than  of  any  spontaneous  manifestation  of  the  im- 
perial will.  At  that  time  the  Russian  people,  which  is  a 
young  people,  made  a  prodigious  stride.  Their  aim  was 
not  to  obtain  the  insignificant,  restricted  reforms  that 
good-natured  Alexander  proposed;  they  desired  a  true  and 
thorough  social  regeneration.  To  make  of  this  slavish 
Russia,  bending  under  her  religious  and  imperial  yoke,  a 
free  nation,  shows  a  wonderful  daring  in  the  Russian 
revolutionists,  a  mighty  power,  which  resembles  in  nothing 
the  expediency  of  the  Western  nations.  In  order  to  ac- 
complish great  deeds,  we  must  long  for  greater.  The 
Russian  movement  presents  to  our  gaze  a  coloss:il  sight, 
not  only  by  the  number  of  its  partisans  and  the  mon- 
strous abuses  that  it  has  undertaken  to  reform,  but  also  by 
its  deep  radicalism  and  by  the  heroism  of  its  apostles. 

Russia  has  suddenly  freed  herself,  has  completely 
thrown  off  the  religion  and  the  prejudices  of  her  fore- 
fathers. Hence  this  name  of  Nihilist,  by  which  title 
they  designate  these  independent  minds  ;  but  in  reality 
there  are  no  Nihilists  in  Russia.  There  are  political 
philosophers,  free  thinkers,  humanitarians,  who  pursue  a 
generous  idea  :  the  Freedom  and  Happiness  of  Russia. 

They  have  been  so  oppressed  for  so  long  a  time  that 
now  they  cannot  content  themselves  with  a  half-liberty. 
The  Russians  can  do  nothing  half-way  j  there  is  a  savage 


56  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

streak  in  their  blood  that  leads  them  to  extremes.  The 
fire  within  them  cannot  be  quenched,  either  by  blood  or 
by  the  snows  of  Siberia. 

The  agitation  increases  daily.  The  socialist  clubs, 
numerous  enough  within  the  past  years,  have  increased 
wonderfully.  At  present  they  embrace  almost  every  in- 
telligent class,  particularly  among  the  citizens. 

And  yet  the  Third  Section  of  the  Emperor's  govern- 
ment exists  but  as  a  representative  of  the  Imperial  all- 
seeing  eye,  of  the  Imperial  all-hearing  ear.  Why,  with 
the  means  at  its  command,  can  it  not  close  the  clubs,  un- 
veil these  propagandists,  imprison  these  conspirators?  It 
is  because  they  would  need  agents  in  every  house,  in 
every  family,  since  there  is  not  a  house,  not  a  fam  ly 
which  does  not  contain  revolutionists  among  its  mem- 
bers. 

As  Wanda  entered,  she  saw  sitting  near  the  door,  Ray- 
mond Chabert  and  Katia,  who  were  waiting  for  her. 

Raymond  was  very  pale;  but  as  soon  as  he  saw  her  he 
colored  painfully. 

"  Ah  !  at  last !  "  he  said,  as  he  bowed  to  her. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  she  asked,  very  much  aston- 
ished. 

*'  We  have  been  very  uneasy  about  you  for  the  last 
half  hour." 

"Why?" 

"  This  going  out  in  the  middle  of  the  night ! " 

"Well!" 

"  Suppose  you  were  to  be  assaulted?  " 

"Cowardly,  faithless  creature!"  answered  Wanda, 
laughing.  "  When  we  brave  the  Russian  police,  we  sure- 
ly run  more  danger  than  in  wandering  about  at  night." 

"Your  fearlessness  astonishes  me." 

"You  forget,  Mr.  Frenchman,  that  we  Russian  Revolu- 
tionists have  nothing  in  common  with  your  Parisian 
coquettes." 

"We  alone  can  save  Russia,"  added  Katia,  "  and  we 
must  be  equal  to  our  mission." 

"You  are  right,"  said  Raymond;    "but  on  that  very 


THE  CLUB.  57 


account  your  life  should  be  all  the  more  precious,  and  I 
Leg  you  to  allow  me  lo  protect  it." 

"  You  are  too  French,  too  gallant,"  said  Wanda,  smil- 
ing. "  We  must  change  all  that ;"  but  as  she  spoke  thus, 
she  bent  her  eyes  full  of  a  tender  gratitude  upon  Raymond. 

Under  that  glance  Raymond  seemed  to  lose  counte- 
nance. Happily  the  company  had  become  aware  of  the 
presence  of  the  Princess,  and  advanced  to  greet  her. 

They  seemed  to  belong  to  every  class  of  society.  Most 
of  them  were  young  people.  Some  were  dressed  as 
citizens,  a  large  number  wore  the  shabby,  uncared-for 
clothes  of  the  student,  others  the  garb  of  the  working 
man.  The  women  were  numerous.  Rich  or  poor,  noble 
or  low-born,  they  were  all  dressed  with  extreme  sim- 
plicity. Their  faces  showed  intellect  and  resolve. 

The  perfect  freedom  which  existed  between  the  mem- 
bers of  this  club  would  have  astonished  a  stranger.  A 
workman  talked  with  a  prince  in  terms  of  equality  ;  for 
in  this  assembly  were  two  princes,  several  persons  of 
rank,  and  three  members  of  the  white  clergy.* 

On  this  particular  evening  they  were  holding  an 
animated  discussion  about  the  event  of  the  day.  Gen- 
eral Trepoff,  Chief  of  Police,  in  going  through  the  prison 
inspection,  had  noticed  one  man  who  stood  before  him 
without  uncovering  his  head.  Upon  being  ordered  to 
take  off  his  hat,  the  prisoner  had  refused. 

Trepoff,  in  a  rage,  ordered  that  the  offender  should 
receive  one  hundred  lashes. 

One  hundred  lashes  for  a  piece  of  impoliteness  ! 

The  prisoner's  name  was  Bogoluboff.  He  had  written 
several  articles  which  attacked  the  baseness  of  those 
high  in  authority,  and  the  cruelty  of  the  secret  police. 
But  this  was  not  the  crime  which  had  brought  upon  him 
this  infamous,  atrocious  punishment ;  the  thing  which 
had  exasperated  Trepoff  was  the  fact  that  Bogoluboff 
had  refused  to  bow  down  before  the  Chief  of  Police. 

What  chastisement  was  worthy  to  be  inflicted  upon 

*In  Russia,  the  white  clergy  correspond  to  our  secular  clergy,  and  the 
black  clergy  to_our  regular  clergy. 


58  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

the  functionary  who  had  dared  to  humiliate  an  author 
of  such  h-igh  intellectual  and  moral  distinction  ? 

The  indignation  surpassed  itself.  Everybody  spoke 
at  once  ;  there  was  one  universal  cry  :  "Vengeance  !" 

One  woman  alone  did  not  open  her  lips.  With  her 
arm  resting-  upon  a  table,  she  sat  listening  and  smiling 
with  a  bitter,  sad  smile. 

Her  eyes  were  lustreless.  In  her  somewhat  insignifi- 
cant face,  a  close  observer  could  detect  a  singular  ex- 
pression of  force,  of  resolution,  perhaps  of  obstinacy. 
Her  hands  were  broad,  short  and  strong. 

She  was  dressed  with  total  disregard  of  appearance. 

Katia  Lawinska  sat  down  beside  her. 

"  Is  this  you,  Vera  Zassoulitch?  I  have  not  seen  you  for 
a  long  time." 

"I  have  been  hard  at  work.  I  have  just  passed  my  ex- 
amination in  medicine." 

"  What  are  you  doing  now?" 

"  I  am  hard  at  work  for  the  cause." 

"  What  do  you  think  should  be  done  to  Trepoff." 

"  He  should  be  put  to  death." 

"  But  the  difficulty  is  to  find  a  man  who  will  carry  out 
the  sentence." 

"  If  a  man  cannot  be  found,  perhaps  a  woman  will  do." 

"Would  you  doit?" 

"  If  no  one  else  can  be  found." 

She  spoke  with  a  firm,  sharp  enunciation. 

At  that  moment  silence  was  requested,  in  order  to  read 
aloud  the  extracts  from  the  Secret  Gazette  that  Korolef 
had  given  Wanda  to  show  to  the  club.  The  correspond- 
ence excited  the  greatest  interest,  especially  the  execu- 
tion of  the  traitor,  Niconoff. 

"  It  is  time  for  us,"  said  Lazareff,  the  president  of  the 
club,  "  to  act.  We  have  been  in  hiding  long  enough. 
We  are  tired  of  this  slavery,  of  this  infernal  rule,  which 
for  so  many  years  has  prostrated  our  moral  powers.  The 
moment  has  come  for  us  to  openly  declare  ourselves,  to 
let  ourselves  be  known — ourselves  and  the  cause  that  we 
uphold.  Trepoff  has  outraged  us  with  every  lash  that 


PRINCE  KRYLOFF.  59 

has  fallen  upon  Bogoluboff.  Blood  alone  can  wash  out 
such  an  insult." 

Vera  Zassoulitch  rose  to  her  feet,  and  overcoming  her 
natural  timidity,  spoke  thus: 

"  This  is  not  TrepofFs  only  crime,"  she  said;  "  is  it  not 
by  his  orders  that  we  all  are  hunted  down  like  dogs,  and 
cast  into  prison?" 

"I  saw  him  at  Warsaw,"  added  Katia,  "  when  he  was 
Chief  of  Police  there;  he  used  to  persecute  and  track  the 
Polish  patriots  just  as  he  does  the  nihilists  now." 

"Shall  we  permit  such  conduct  to  go  unpunished?" 
continued  Vera. 

"No,  no!"  they 'all  cried  out. 

"  Well,  I  propose,"  said  Lazareff,  "  that  the  men  present 
cast  lots,  and  that  he  upon  whom  the  lot  falls  shall 
revenge  us  upon  this  criminal." 

"I  wish  to  be  included  among  the  men,"  said  Vera 
Zassoulitch. 

But  upon  reflection  they  determined  to  wait,  and  to 
take  the  advice  of  the  other  clubs  before  resolving  upon 
any  action. 

So  the  meeting  broke  up  without  having  come  to  any 
conclusion. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


PRINCE  KRYLOFF. 

WHEN  Wanda  and  Katia  reached  their  home  it  was 
four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

To  their  great  surprise,  instead  of  finding  everything 
dark  and  silent,  they  saw  lights  flitting  from  window  to  win- 
dow, and  perceived  that  there  was  a  general  commotion. 

"Ah,  Sia'telstwo!*  may  the  saints  protect  us!"  cried  out 

*Your  Excellency,  or  more  properly,  your  Brightness,  is  a  term  of  respect 
used  in  addressing  the  nobility. 


60  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

the  dvornik;  "  the  Prince  is  like  a  madman.  He  has  found 
out  that  your  Excellency  is  not  in  the  house.  He  has 
been  beating  us  all;  he  wants  to  turn  us  all  off  for  hav- 
ing allowed  you  to  go  out  without  telling  him." 

The  young  girls  looked  at  one  another. 

"What  shall  we  do?  how  can  we  appear  before  him?" 

"Is  the  Prince  up  ?"  asked  Wanda. 

"  Oh  yes  !  He  asks  every  minute  if  your  Excellency 
has  come  home." 

"  Where  is  he  ?  " 

"  In  the  Princess'  sitting-room." 

"  Wait  here,  dear  Katia  ;  I  prefer  to  brave  his  anger 
alone." 

She  boldly  mounted  the  marble  stair-case  which  led  to 
her  apartments. 

Upon  hearing  the  noise,  the  Prince  had  opened  the 
door. 

He  was  very  pale;  his  features  contracted  with  rage. 

"  Where  have  you  been  ?  "  he  said,  in  a  choking  voice. 

"  If  you  will  allow  me,  father,  I  will  not  tell  you  now; 
you  are  not  in  a  condition  to  listen  to  me." 

"  Tell  me  at  once  ;  I  will  know." 

"I  cannot  tell  you  before  I  obtain  permission  to  do  so. 
It  is  a  secret  which  does  not  concern  me  alone." 

"  Permission  to  answer  me  ?  A  secret  from  your 
father ! " 

He  panted  for  breath. 

Wanda  knew  these  terrible  rages,  but  she  never  trem- 
bled. 

"  Will  you  speak  ?  You  shall !  vou  know  well  that 
no  one  can  resist  me." 

Wanda  did  not  say  a  word. 

The  Prince  came  towards  her  in  a  threatening  attitude  ; 
then  suddenly  checking  his  fury,  he  lowered  his  voice. 

"  You  know,  my  daughter,  that  I  love  you  more  than 
anything  in  the  world.  I  implore  you,  do  not  irritate  me; 
I  am  afraid  that  in  a  fit  of  fury  I  might  forget  myself. 
.  .  .  Tell  me,  my  child,  where  have  you  been  ?  " 

"I  cannot  lie  to  my  father,"  answered  Wanda;  "and 


PRINCE  KRYLOFF.  61 

I  cannot  tell  a  secret  that  I  have  promised  to  keep.  I 
implore  you,  do  not  question  me." 

"You  have  a  lover,  wretched  girl!"  said  the  Prince. 

He  struck  a  little  table  with  his  fist  and  shattered  it  to 
atoms. 

"If  you  do  not  answer  me  instantly,  I  will  break  you 
to  pieces,  as  I  do  this  table." 

"  Wait  till  to-morrow,  I  beg  of  you  ;  1  am  tired  ;  per- 
mit me  to  go  to  bed." 

"  That  is  it !  You  want  time  so  as  to  invent  a  lie  to  de- 
ceive me  !  I  wish  to  know,  and  I  will  know,  if  I  have  to 
lock  you  up  until  you  will  speak." 

At  this  threat,  Wanda's  pride  revolted. 

"  Do  what  you  choose.     I  will  not  speak." 

Motionless,  she  leaned  against  a  wall  and  crossed  her 
arms. 

Then  the  Prince,  intoxicated  with  rage,  rushed  upon 
her  and  struck  her  in  the  face. 

"Your  mother's  own  child!  If  you  leave  this  house 
again  at  night,  I  will  put  you  under  lock  and  key." 

"As  you  did  my  mother,"  said  Wanda,  fixing  her  eyes, 
full  of  indignation  and  revolt,  upon  her  father's  face. 

When  he  heard  these  words,  shuddering  at  this  look,  as 
if  some  terrible  recollection  had  overcome  him,  he  said  in 
a  low,  hollow  voice  : 

"As  I  did  your  mother  ! " 

Before  the  haughty,  contemptuous  attitude  of  his  daugh- 
ter, his  head  drooped  and  he  withdrew. 

Wanda  stood  for  an  instant  as  though  nailed  to  the  wall 
by  the  insult  she  had  received. 

She  dared  not  look  into  her  own  heart;  for  at  this  mo- 
ment the  man  whom  she  was  obliged  to  call  father  in- 
spired her  with  naught  but  aversion.  This  man  was  to 
her  the  very  personification  of  the  odious  rule  that 
weighed  down  her  country.  Doubtless  he  was  the  result 
of  the  society  in  which  he  had  been  born,  in  which  he 
had  lived  ;  but  he  was  none  the  less  detestable. 

As  soon  as  she  had  come  to  herself  she  called  Katia, 
and  threw  herself  into  her  arms. 


62  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  have  no  one  but  you,  dear  Katia!  My  father  has 
broken  the  last  tie  that  bound  me  to  him.  This  man 
who  tortured  my  mother,  who  has  committed  every 
crime  and  every  exaction,  who  has  oppressed  the  poor 
and  the  weak,  has  just  struck  me  in  the  face,  as  if  I  were 
the  lowest  of  creation.  Ah!  if  I  could  but  go  away,  run 
away  with  you!" 

"  Very  weil !  let  us  go,"  said  Katia. 

"  I  cannot.  I  have  promised  to  stay  here.  Go  to  bed  ; 
as  for  me,  I  am  so  miserable  that  I  cannot  sleep." 

"Why  are  you  so  unhappy?" 

"  I  blame  my  father,  and  I  think  hardly  of  him,  but  he 
was  my  father;  he  loved  me.  It  was  a  tie  which  bound 
me  to  him,  kept  me  by  his  side,  even  made  me  feel  ten- 
derly towards  him.  This  tie  has  been  violently  broken; 
it  has  been  torn  asunder  ;  that  is  why  I  am  unhappy. 
But  to-morrow  I  shall  be  strong." 

Katia,  seeing  that  her  friend  strove  to  keep  back  her 
tears  in  her  presence,  retired. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    RED    LETTER. 

TOWARDS  one  o'clock,  on  the  night  of  the  ball  at  the 
Winter  Palace,  just  as  Wanda  was  leaving  the  ball-room, 
the  Emperor  reentered  his  own  private  apartments. 

Alexis  Verenine,  in  his  capacity  as  aide-de-camp,  was 
on  duty  in  the  antechamber. 

The  Emperor  dismissed  every  one,  and  desired  to  be 
left  alone. 

A  large  red  envelope  was  lying  on  his  table. 

He  sat  down,  and  laying  his  hand  upon  this  letter, 
seemed  lost  in  thought. 

Bitter  thoughts  and  utter  weariness  held  possession  of 


THE  RED  LETTER.  63 

that  fine,  intelligent  brain,  where  so  much  real  goodness 
dwelt;  his  eyes  were  sad,  his  whole  body  bent  as  though 
drooping  under  some  weight.  Suddenly  he  straightened 
himself  up,  took  up  the  red  envelope,  and  extracting 
from  it  a  letter,  read,  or  rather  re-read,  the  following 
singular  and  threatening  words: 

"  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  COMMITTEE  OF  PETERSBURG. 

"  To  the  Czar:  You  have  confidence  in  your  glory,  in 
the  slavish  adoration  of  your  subjects,  in  the  continuance 
of  your  power,  in  the  future  existence  of  your  race. 

"The  truth  is  this: 

"  Your  glory  is  built  up  by  the  blood  of  your  people ; 
your  magnificence,  by  their  wretchedness  and  the  sweat 
of  their  brow;  your  power,  by  their  ignorance.  But 
your  power  draws  near  its  end;  your  dynasty  shall  not 
reign  forever. 

"  You  think  you  have  done  a  noble  deed  in  granting 
your  peasants  liberty,  but  have  you  given  them  bread? 

"  Your  people  are  weary  of  suffering,  weary  of  working 
for  the  tax-gatherer,  weary  of  the  impudence  and  corrup- 
tion of  your  nobility,  weary  of  your  venal  magistrates 
and  of  your  rapacious  officials,  weary  of  your  clergy  who 
mulct  them  in  every  way,  weary  of  your  pretended  vic- 
tories, which  are  but  useless  massacres,  costing  them  the 
life-blood  of  their  youngest  and  noblest  sons. 

"Yes,  your  people  are  weary  of  your  weakness  towards 
your  courtiers, — weary,  above  all,  of  your  infamous  secret 
police,  which  arrests,  judges  and  condemns  with  closed 
doors  the  most  enlightened,  the  most  large-hearted  men 
in  your  empire. 

"From  the  windows  of  your  palace -you  can  hear  the 
groans  of  these  heroes,  whose  chains  are  riveted  to  those 
damp  walls  washed  by  the  icy  flood  of  the  Neva.* 

"  To-day  the  avengers  are  awake,  the  conspiracy  is 
everywhere,  among  your  nobility,  as  well  as  among 
your  people,  who  at  last  understand  that  they,  too,  have 
rights  ;  it  is  among  the  army,  among  the  clergy,  even 

*The  fortress  of  Petropovlooski  is  situated  nearly  opposite  the  Winter 
Palace,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river. 


64  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

within  your  palace,   among   your  most  trusted  servants. 

"  The  storm  is  gathering,  the  thunder  rumbles  beneath 
you;  soon  a  fearful  whirlwind  will  sweep  from  you 
throne,  dynasty,  government  and  nobles. 

"  But  there  is  yet  a  way  to  escape  this  frightful  catas- 
trophe. Make  the  revolution  yourself.  Give  land  to 
the  peasants  ;  give  a  constitution  to  your  people,  and 
suppress  the  secret  police  ;  ask  the  nation  if  she  will 
acknowledge  you  for  her  father.  And  thus  you  will  save 
your  country  from  the  horrors  of  a  civil  war. 

"Shake  off  your  torpor,  put  aside  your  stupid  cour- 
tiers, act  according  to  the  impulses  of  your  heart  and  of 
justice. 

**  If  you  will  do  this  thing  you  will  have  a  right  to  the 
gratitude  of  the  Russian  people,  and  posterity  will  rank 
you  among  the  benefactors  of  mankind." 

Alexander  fell  back  in  a  profound  reverie.  Far  away 
could  be  heard  the  music  of  the  ball  and  the  rolling  of 
the  carriages  as  they  bore  home  the  courtiers,  who,  the 
Emperor  having  gone,  felt  no  longer  any  interest  in 
remaining. 

He  arose,  went  to  the  window,  and  looked  out  upon 
the  Neva  ;  across  the  river  he  saw,  indistinctly  in  the 
pale  light,  the  black  outline  of  the  massive  fortress. 

And  in  thought,  he  saw  those  heroes,  chains  upon  their 
feet,  hollow-eyed,  shivering  with  cold,  crouching  in  their 
damp  cells,  and  cursing  him. 

He  turned  away,  and  sat  down  again  by  the  table, 
upon  which  lay  the  red  letter. 

It  was  the  feeling  of  his  impotence  which  so  weighed 
upon  him. 

And  yet  this  monarch  reigned  over  thegreatest  empire 
in  the  world.  One  hundred  millions  of  people  bowed  be- 
neath his  yoke. 

The  Swod,  or  Russian  Code  of  law,  thus  defines  the 
Czar:  "An  autocrat  whose  power  is  unlimited." 

He  can  draw  as  much  money  as  he  will,  and  without 
rendering  any  account,  from  the  Exchequer  of  the  State; 


THE  RED  LETTER.  65 

All  Russia  belongs  to  him;  he  can  give  the  land  to 
whom  he  pleases.  He  can  pardon,  can  degrade,  can  ex- 
act; he  can  make  a  man  rich  or  poor  by  one  word.  What 
will  he  have  that  he  cannot  have,  this  man  who  is  the 
most  complete  personification  of  autocratic  power? 

He  desires  to  restrict  his  power,  to  give  a  constitution 
to  his  people,  to  break  the  administrative  net  that  en- 
tangles his  country  and  paralyzes  it — and  he  cannot. 

His  nobles  are  banded  against  him  to  preserve  their 
privileges. 

He  has  struggled,  but  he  is  discouraged.  His  whole 
energy  seems  to  have  been  exhausted  by  the  one  act  of 
the  emancipation  of  the  serfs,  which  nearly  cost  him  his 
crown. 

This  despot,  in  whose  hands  the  accident  of  birth  has 
placed  unlimited  authority,  is  a  liberal  man,  certainly, 
but  a  weak  man. 

It  is  not  he  who  governs — it  is  his  ministers  and  his 
courtiers. 

Now  and  then,  when  the  rumor  of  some  injustice 
reaches  his  ears,  he  wishes  to  make  amends  for  it.  He 
gives  the  necessary  orders;  but  he  is  not  always  obeyed. 

"  Doen  this  Revolutionary  Committee  really  exist?" 
said  the  Czar  to  himself.  "  Perhaps  they  are  madmen — 
maniacs.  However,  they  speak  the  truth;  I  am  threat- 
ened with  a  '93!  And  I  would  be  Louis  XVI.  Louis  loved 
his  people  sincerely,  just  as  I  do;  and,  like  me,  he  was 
powerless  to  bend  the  will  of  those  around  him,  of  a  blind 
and  obstinate  court. 

"  And  still,  I  could  prevent  the  catastrophe.  Some  will 
resist,  but  others  will  help  me.  If  I  would. ...'"' 

Then,  lifting  his  head,  he  said,  in  a  loud  voice: 

"  I  will,  and  thus  I  shall  insure  the  safety  of  my  dynas- 
ty far  better  than  by  my  conquests.  Yes,  I  will  make  this 
revolution  in  spite  of  Gortschakoff,  Schouvaloff  and  Ad- 
lerberg.  And  yet,  must  I  break  the  hearts  of  the  faith- 
ful men  who  love  me,  and  who  have  devoted  their  whole 
lives  to  my  service — to  my  glory?  But,  after  all,  what  aro 
these  men  before  the  happiness,  the  prosperity,  the  res- 
5 


60  A  NIHILIST  PKIXCESS. 


urrection  of  a  nation?  I  emancipated  the  serfs  because 
I  did  not  wish  to  rule  over  slaves;  I  will  make  this  revo- 
lution because  I  do  not  wish  to  reign  over  ignorant  starve- 
lings. I  will  do  it,  were  it  to  cost  me  my  throne!  My 
throne!" 

He  made  a  movement  of  disgust  and  weariness. 

"  They  say  there  are  conspirators  here,  in  my  very  pal- 
ace!" 

He  rang  the  bell.     Verenine  entered. 

"  Suppose  I  question  this  young  man,  who  has  always 
been  devoted  to  me?"  thought  the  Emperor. 

"  My  dear  Alexis,  this  letter  states  that  there  are  here, 
among  the  court-officials,  certain  men  who  desire  the  de- 
struction of  my  authority,  and  perhaps  of  my  life." 

The  young  aide-de-camp  became  livid. 

Alexander  was  so  far  from  suspecting  him  that  he  did 
not  notice  his  sudden  change  of  color. 

"Have  you  observed  any  signs  of  the  kind?"  contin- 
ued Alexander.  "  Has  any  one  made  any  propositions  to 
you?" 

"  No,  Sire,"  answered  Verenine,  but  in  such  a  broken, 
husky  voice,  that  the  Emperor  fixed  his  eyes  upon  him. 

"You  look  very  pale!  Does  anything  ail  you,  mv 
child?" 

"  No,  your  Majesty,  but  what  you  have  just  said  to 
me....  " 

"  1  know  your  devotion,  your  attachment  to  me.  Do 
you  suspect  any  one?  Think  a  moment." 

"  No  one;  there  is  not  a  person  in  the  palace  that  you 
have  not  loaded  with  benefits." 

"That  is  true,"  said  the  Emperor,  with  a  sad  smile. 
"  But  ingratitude,  dear  Alexis,  is  the  independence  of  the 

heart;  and  now-a-days,  as  independence   is  the  fashion 

» 

"  Do  you  suspect. ..." 

"Ah!  I,  unhappily,  only  believe  in  a  devotion  founded 
upon  fear,  or  upon  the  hope  of  future  benefits.  You  will 
learn,  by  experience,  as  I  have,  that  the  human  heart  is 
not  altogether  beautiful." 


TEE  RED  LETTER.  67 

"  The  human  heart  is  not  frightful;  but  society  is." 

"You  talk  like  a  Nihilist.  Society,  socialists — I  hear 
these  words  on  every  side." 

Verenine  was  very  uneasy. 

"  Does  your  Majesty  suspect  me?"  he  stammered. 

The  Emperor  sighed. 

"  No,  Verenine,  I  do  not  suspect  you.  Your  father 
was  entirely  devoted  to  me.  I  made  his  fortune.  You 
are  my  son's  friend,  and  it  is  for  your  interest  to  remain 
faithful." 

Alexander  did  not  speak  for  several  minutes  ;  then  he 
said  : 

".I  saw  you  dancing  a  little  while  ago  with  a  very  beau- 
tiful woman.  It  was  Princess  Kryloff,  I  believe." 

"  Yes,  Sire." 

"  She  has  fine  eyes.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  have  heard 
that  she,  too,  is  somewhat  addicted  to  the  madness  of  the 
day." 

Alexis  felt  himself  grow  pale  and  tremble.  He  under- 
stood well  that  his  uneasiness  might  not  only  ruin  him, 
but  Wanda  likewise.  In  presence  of  this  imminent 
danger  he  managed  to  control  his  emotion. 

"  She  a  Nihilist !  her  soul  is  too  lofty,  her  heart  too 
loving,  to  allow  her  to  adopt  such  a  doctrine  of  extermi- 
nation." 

"  How  enthusiastic  !  "  said  the  Emperor,  smiling. 

"  She  is  my  cousin,  Sire  ;  and  besides,  we  have  been 
friends  since  we  were  children." 

"  And  you  are  in  love  with  her?  that  is  quite  natural. 
Why  should  you  not  marry  her?  Your  family  is  as  good 
as  hers;  your  fortune — " 

"  Prince  Kryloff  is  very  rich,  and  she  is  an  only 
daughter." 

"  Is  that  [all?  You  know  that  I  never  forsake  my 
friends  when  they  are  in  trouble.  I  have  always,  for 
your  father's  sake,  felt  very  kindly  towards  you.  Do  not 
forget  it,  my  child." 

"  Ah,  Sire,  you  overwhelm  me  with  your  goodness  ; 
but  in  the  first  place,  I  should  like  her  to  love  me." 


68  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  And  why  should  n't  she  love  you  ?  " 

"  She  is  such  an  enigma ;  she  has  such  an  impenetrable 
character." 

"  Does  she  love  any  one  else  ?" 

"  I  do  not  think  so." 

"  Well,  then,  will  you  allow  me  to  arrange  the  mat- 
ter for  you  ?  " 

"  Ah,  Sire,  would  you  condescend  to .  But,  in- 
deed, I  would  rather  first  know  what  Wanda's  feelings 
are  towards  me?" 

"Nonsense!  You  are  a  handsome  fellow,  and  if  you 
have  no  rival,  she  will  love  you,  I  am  sure.  As  you  have 
chosen  me  for  your  confidante,  I  give  you  my  word  of 
honor  that  you  shall  marry  Wanda  Kryloff." 

"  Believe  me,  Sire,  my  gratitude  is  profound.  Only  if 
I  dared,  I  should  beg  your  Majesty  not  to  take  any  steps 
in  the  matter  until  I  speak  to  Wanda  myself,  for  she 
•will  never  allow  a  husband  to  be  forced  upon  her  by  any 
one.  She  would  resist  her  father's  will;  she  would  re- 
sist the  whole  world." 

"  Do  you  think  she  would  resist  the  Czar?  " 

"  I  fear  she  would." 

"  Was  her  mother  a  Pole?  " 

"Yes,  Sire." 

"  Then  I  understand  it.  Well,  you  can  tell  me  what 
I  can  do  for  you,  and  I  will  do  it.  Go  back  into  the 
ball-room,  and  if  Trepoff  and  Mezentzoff  are  still  there 
bring  them  to  me." 

He  made  a  sign  with  his  hand  for  him  to  leave  him. 

Alexis  Verenine  went  out  violently  agitated. 

Why  had  the  Emperor  sent  for  the  Chief  of  Police 
and  the  General  of  the  Guards?  Did  he  suspect  any- 
thing? Had  he  guessed  his  secret  and  Wanda's? 

His  knees  gave  way  under  him.  He  reeled  like  a 
drunken  man. 

"  They  speak  the  truth,"  thought  the  Emperor.  "  In 
my  palace,  about  my  person,  these  men  whom  I  have 
loaded  with  benefits  are  conspiring  against  me.  Even  this 
child,  that  I  have  loved  as  my  own,  betrays  me.  Shall  I  give 


THE  RED  LETTER.  69 

him  up  to  the  police,  and  send  him  off  to  Siberia?  It  is  no 
use;  Princess  Kryloff  has  turned  his  head  with  her  beau- 
tiful eyes.  But  she  cannot  be  very  dangerous.  She  is 
romantic  and  unreal,  like  all  young  girls  ;  I  cannot  arrest 
everybody,  and  without  proof,  too.  This  movement  is 
fatal !  it  has  such  an  effect  upon  the  young  people.  It  is 
so  dull  in  this  country  of  clouds  and  snow ;  and  life  in 
Russia  is  very  monotonous.  I  suppose  they  are  conspir- 
ators from  conviction.  Perhaps,  if  I  were  in  their  place, 
I  should  be  a  conspirator,  too — from  ennui  and.  disgust  of 
life.  Yes,  I  will  enter  into  a  conspiracy  with  my  people 
against  this  government  which  oppresses  me." 

At  this  moment,  Trepoff  entered,  conducted  by  Ver- 
enine. 

"Did  your  Majesty  send  for  me?"  said  Trepoff. 
"  Yes,  General,"  answered  the  Czar,  in  a  severe  tone. 
"  It  appears  there  is  a  conspiracy  in  Petersburg,  a  so-called 
Revolutionary  Committee,  and  that  a  missive  like  this  can 
be  thrown  into  my  carriage  in  broad  day-light,  without 
any  one  knowing  who  has  thrown  it." 

The  Emperor  held  out  the  red  letter  to  the  Chief  of 
Police. 

Trepoff  took  it  with  a  trembling  hand.  As  he  read,  he 
could  not  suppress  his  expressions  of  contempt  and  scorn. 
When  he  had  done  : 

"  Well,"  asked  the  Emperor,  "•  what  do  you  think  of 
that?" 

"  They  are  maniacs,"  said  Trepoff ;  "  or  perhaps  some 
men  who  have  laid  a  wager  to  terrify  your  Majesty.  We 
have  discovered  that  a  hundred  and  ninety-three  maniacs 
are  running  about  Russia,  disseminating  revolutionary 
pamphlets.  Out  of  these  hundred  and  ninety-three,  but 
twenty  have  been  found  guilty.  For  four  years  we  have 
searched  in  vain  for  the  authors  of  the  plot ;  there  is  no 
plot.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  dangerous  men,  who 
are  under  lock  and  key,  these  pretended  Nihilists,  about 
whom  there  is  so  much  talk,  are  really  not  to  be  feared. 
They  are  narrow-minded,  fanatical,  idle  men,  without  po- 
sition, without  influence,  and  with  very  little  intellectual 
weight." 


70  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Far  from  being  convinced,  the  Emperor  struck  the  table 
with  his  fist. 

"General,"  he  cried,  "your  agents  are  unskillful.  You, 
yourself,  seem  to  me  to  be  blind.  I  myself  do  not  believe 
that  there  is  a  plot  ready  to  spring  at  once  into  action; 
but  I  believe  there  is  a  conspiracy  against  my  govern- 
ment. These  socialists  that  you  despise  are  among  my 
nobles,  at  court,  in  this  very  palace  itself.  I  am  sure  of 
it." 

"In   your   palace?"    cried  Trepoff,  utterly  astounded. 

"And  you  know  nothing  of  it,"  continued  Alexander; 
"  and  yet  you  and  Mezentzoff  are  only  here  to  watch  over 
my  person  !" 

"  I  will  discover  them.     I  will  punish  the  guilty." 

"No;  that  is  not  my  intention.  Look  well,  if  there  is 
a  conspiracy — bring  me  all  the  proofs;  bring  me  the  list 
of  the  guilty — to  me  alone.  1  am  sure  the  last  trial  has 
had  the  most  deplorable  effect,  and  your  agents  make  so 
many  mistakes  !  They  might  deal  rigorously  with  the 
innocent.  I  will  not  have  it!  No  one,  particularly  those 
about  my  person,  shall  be  arrested  without  my  express 
permission.  Do  you  understand  ?" 

"  I  will  obey,  Sire,"  said  Trepoff,  bowing  low. 

Alas !  the  Emperor  had  forgotten  once  more  that  lie  was 
not  the  master. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

REBELLION". 

PEINCE  KRTLOFF'S  palace  stands  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Neva,  not  far  from  the  Admiralty  Gardens,  in  the  most 
charming  part  of  Petersburg.  This  palace,  which  is  one 
of  the  oldest  and  finest  in  the  city,  is  built,  as  are  most  of  the 
Russian  palaces,  in  the  old  French  style,  slightly  Italian- 


REBELLION.  71 


ized.  The  wood-work  of  the  lower  story,  the  Corinthian 
columns,  the  pediments  of  the  windows,  the  ornamentation 
in  carved  stone,  all  are  brought  out  in  bold  relief  by  the 
rose  color  stucco  of  the  building,  which  forms  a  charming 
background  and  produces  a  superb  effect. 

One  of  the  wings  of  the  palace  is  entirely  taken  up  as 
a  Winter  Garden.  Through  the  panes  of  glass,  under  a 
roof  covered  with  snow,  can  be  seen  palm-trees,  magnolias 
and  bananas,  which  rear  their  tall  heads  on  high. 

Within,  everything  is  magnificent.  There  can  be  found, 
as  in  all  the  noblemen's  houses,  every  luxury,  every 
article  of  taste,  gathered  from  all  parts  of  Europe.  How- 
ever, the  national  character  reveals  itself  in  a  Byzantine 
Madonna  and  a  statuette  of  St.  Peter,  the  patron  saint 
of  Prince  Kryloff.  These  two  icons,*  decorated  with 
gold,  and  each  surrounded  with  a  large  golden  nimbus, 
recall  to  mind  that  we  are  in  Holy  Russia. 

Wanda's  boudoir  was  furnished  in  the  most  original 
taste.  It  looked  more  like  a  study  than  a  pretty  wo- 
man's lounging  place. 

On  the  Smyrna  carpet  lay  a  large  white  bear's  skin. 
Upon  the  sofa,  a  pretty  piece  of  furniture  tufted  in  blue 
and  gold  brocade,  was  thrown  a  superb  robe  of  blue  fox, 
fringed  with  crimson  tassels.  Here  and  there,  scattered 
among  satin  poufs  and  luxurious  arm-chairs,  stuffed 
bear-cubs,  used  as  footstools,  gave  a  decided  polar  ap- 
pearance to  the  room.  The  hangings  of  the  doors  came 
from  Asia;  the  tapestries,  bought  at  the  fair  of  Nijni 
Novgorod,  were  Chinese,  splendid  in  their  rich  color- 
ing and  marvelous  designs.  Trophies  made  of  singu- 
lar and  beautiful  armor,  interspersed  with  Italian  pictures, 
adorned  the  walls. 

The  greatest  luxury  in  Russia  consists  in  furs  and 
flowers,  especially  flowers.  They  seem  to  console  them- 
selves for  the  implacable  cold  of  their  winters  by  a  pro- 
fusion of  verdure.  And  so  Wanda's  room  was  like  a 
hot-house.  In  the  tall  windows  banana  trees  spread 
their  great  leaves;  English  ivy  climbed  around  the  gilded 

*  An  Icon  is  a  sacred  image. 


72  A  NIHILIST  PSINCESS. 

pillars;  a  superb  orchid  fell  gracefully  from  a  lamp  of 
Japanese  porcelain.  In  every  corner  magnolias  and 
camelias  bloomed;  jars  of  Bohemian  glass  held  exotic 
flowers,  and  amongst  them  fine  bronzes  and  cloisonn£ 
enamels  were  arranged  with  taste. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this,  stretched  upon  a  sofa,  lay 
Wanda,  idly  dreaming.  She  wore  a  dress  of  white  cloth, 
trimmed  with  ruby  velvet.  Her  slender  waist  was  im- 
prisoned in  a  gold  band  set  in  torquoises. 

"  Katia,  do  you  know  whom  I  expect  to  see  to-day?" 

"No,  dearest." 

"  My  three  lovers." 

"I  hope  you  are  not  in  love  with  any  of  them?" 

"  No,"  she  answered,  hesitatingly. 

"  You  seem  doubtful'." 

"No,  lam  not:  but,   ..."  she  sighed. 

"I  am  uneasy,"  said  Katia.  "  Love  is  a  fatal,  absorb- 
ing passion.  Sometimes  it  does  give  a  noble  impulse  to 
the  heart,  but  more  frequently  it  deadens  our  gener- 
osity." 

"  Some  one  said  long  ago,"  answered  Wanda, "  Love  is 
but  a  two-fold  egotism. ' ' 

"  Yes,  and  when  the  greater  number  suffer,  have  we 
the  right  to  be  happy?  " 

"It  is  true  it  is  a  crime  to  think  of  happiness  when 
our  brothers  are  expiating  in  prisons  and  in  the  mines 
their  devotion  to  their  fellow-men." 

"  And  yet,  you  could  have  such  a  brilliant  life,  such  a 
happy,  beautiful  life!" 

"Ah!  the  world  is  not  as  charming  as  you  think  it. 
Now,  yesterday,  the  ball  at  the  Winter  Palace  was  su- 
perb, dazzling.  I  had  every  success  that  a  woman  can 
desire;  and,  Katia,  I  found  it  empty,  unsatisfying,  and 
frightfully  tiresome.  And  these  crowds,  where  1  can 
neither  talk  nor  walk  nor  dance,  are  to  me  the  dullest 
things  that  I  can  imagine." 

"  Oh,    I  can  understand  that!  " 

"  I  only  begin  to  live,  when  I  come  home,  and  can 
take  you  in  my  arms;  when  I  meet  our  friends,  to  whom 


REBELLION.  73 


I  am  bound  by  one  great,  noble  idea.  They  look  upon 
us  as  maniacs.  On  the  contrary,  we  are  the  only  sensi- 
ble people  in  Russia;  all  the  other  inhabitants  of  the 
Holy  Empire  are  mummies." 

"  That  is  very  true.  If  every  one  could  but  know 
what  a  mighty  interest  we  have  in  our  lives,  how  exciting, 
how  emotional  it  is,  every  one  would  join  us." 

Just  then  a  footman  entered,  sent  by  the  Prince  to 
ask  Wanda  if  she  would  come  to  breakfast. 

"  Tell  the  Prince,"  she  said,  "  that  I  am  not  well,  and 
that  I  will  not  take  any  breakfast  this  morning." 

"  Not  well  ?  "  cried  Katia. 

"  It  is  not  anything;  but  I  do  not  want  to  see  my 
father  to-day  ;  I  feel  that  I  would  forgive  him,  I  am  so 
weak  towards  those  I  love  ;  he  will  come  up  here  pres- 
ently ;  he  can't  bear  to  have  me  cross  to  him." 

"  You  are  very  wrong,  dear  Wanda,  to  allow  any 
weakness  in  yourself,  even  towards  your  father.  A 
father  has  no  right  to  our  love  or  to  our  respect  unless  he 
behaves  himself  properly.  Even  if  my  father  had  loved 
me,  I  could  never  have  forgiven  the  exactions  that  he 
practiced  upon  my  unfortunate  fellow-countrymen." 

"  You  have  a  firmer  and  stronger  character  than  I 
have.  I  will  try  to  follow  your  advice." 

Just  then  the  Prince  burst  into  the  room  like  a  whirl- 
wind. 

Katia  withdrew. 

"  Are  you  ill,  Wanda?"  he  exclaimed;  "  you  look  very 
pale." 

Wanda  did  not  say  a  word. 

"Wanda?" 

"  Father." 

"1  am  the  cause  of  this.  When  I  see  you  ill  my  pride 
disappears,  and  I  only  know  that  I  love  you.  Tell  me, 
have  you  a  fever?" 

"I  do  not  know." 

"  Don't  look  at,  me  with  such  eyes." 

Wanda  cast  down  her  lids;  her  face  was  proud  and 
cold. 


74:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  I  was  in  a  rage  last  night;  you  know  that  at  such 
times  I  lose  all  control  of  myself;  I  am  on  fire;  anger 
controls  my  very  limbs,  my  whole  being;  I  am  not  re- 
sponsible for  what  I  do." 

"There  are  some  words  that  can  never  be  forgotten." 

"I  take  back  everything  that  I  said.  Well!  are  you 
satisfied?  Have  I  humiliated  myself  enough  before  you? 
Let  us  forget  it  all!  I  forgive  you,  forgive  me.  Kiss  me, 
and  let  this  coolness  pass  away.  But  you  are  cold,  un- 
feeling! Kiss  me,  I  tell  you." 

"  I  cannot." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  you  know  me  well  enough  to  know  that  I 
am  incapable  of  a  low,  mean  action.  Your  suspicion  of 
me  was  worse  than  your  blow." 

"Wanda,  look  here;  put  yourself  in  my  place.  Didn't 
you  tell  me  that  you  felt  badly,  and  that  you  wanted  to 
go  to  bed?  I  was  worried  about  you,  and  I  went  to  your 
room — nobody  was  there;  I  called  Katia — no  answer. 
And  you  came  home,  dressed  up  like  a  man,  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  you  refused  to  tell  me  where 
you  had  been." 

"Why  did  you  ask  me?  If  I  was  obliged  to  use  a  sub- 
terfuge so  as  to  be  free,  naturally  I  could  not  bo  at  lib- 
erty to  tell  you  where  I  was  going." 

"  But,  it  seems  to  me,  a  father  has  some  authority  over 
his  child.  Your  reputation,  our  honor,  was  at  stake." 

"  I  was  in  disguise,  and  you  know  I  am  not  a  woman 
to  compromise  our  honor,  since  you  desire  to  confound 
your  honor  with  mine,  although,  according  to  my  views, 
one  is  responsible  for  one's  own  acts  alone." 

"Bah!   what  sort  of  talk  is  this?     Stupid  notions." 

"  If  you  hope  to  win  back  my  affection  in  this 
manner — " 

t"  Come,  spoilt  child,  little  rebel,  let  us  put  an  end  to 
this  wretched  quarrel." 

"  No,"  answered  Wanda,  firmly. 

"What!  are  you  going  to  be  hard  against  me?" 

"  Yes." 


REBELLION.  75 


The  Prince  was  seized  with  a  fit  of  laughter,  which 
sounded  more  like  anger  than  mirth. 
k_  "Are  we  to  remain  at  loggerheads?" 

"  Certainly." 

*'  Perhaps  you  wish  your  old  father  to  go  down  on 
his  knees  before  you,  like  a  lover?" 

"  Not  at  all." 

"But  what  do  you  wish,  then?  Toll  me — at  least  I 
should  like  to  know  what  conditions  are  necessary  to 
sign  the  peace." 

"I  am  no  longer  a  child,  as  you  seem  to  think  I  am. 
In  eight  days  I  shall  be  twenty-one  years  old." 

"That  is  "true." 

"Then  I  shall  be  of  age." 

"Well?" 

"  I  wish  to  be  free." 

"How  free?" 

"Free  to  do  what  I  think  fit.  Otherwise  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  quit  your  house." 

The  Prince  gazed  at  his  daughter  with  haggard  eyes, 
and  he  could  not  speak,  so  utterly  overcome  was  he  by 
the  expression  of  her  intention,  uttered,  as  it  was,  with 
an  evident  and  fixed  determination.  But  recovering 
himself,  and  forcing  himself  to  speak  pleasantly,  he 
said: 

"Quit  this  house!     Why,  where  would  you  go  to?" 

"  You  need  not  trouble  yourself;  I  have  already  found 
a  place." 

"  Found  a  place!  Do  you  then  think  seriously  of  leav- 
ing me?" 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  nothing  else,  all  night  long." 

The  Prince  walked  rapidly  up  and  down  the  room,  to 
overcome  the  agitation  that  these  words  caused  him.  His 
brain  was  in  a  whirl;  anger,  paternal  love,  indignation, 
the  fear  that  his  daughter  would  carry  out  her  threat — 
all  these  emotions  filled  his  mind.  He  knew  Wanda's 
determined  character,  and  he  dreaded  an  outbreak. 

He  drew  a  chair  up  to  the  sofa  upon  which  Wanda  was 
lying,  and  sat  down. 


76  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Let  us  see,  my  darling  galoubschiJc."  * 

He  took  her  hand;  it  lay  between  his  hands  like  a  lump 
of  ice. 

"I  could  not  sleep,  either,"  he  continued;  "all  night 
long  I  was  feverish  and  wretched.  Kiss  me,  to  quiet 
me,  to  soothe  me;  and  then,  afterwards,  we  can  talk  about 
this  matter." 

"  You  would  not  care  for  a  kiss,  father,  that  is  given 
unwillingly,  would  you?" 

"  I  want  you  to  kiss  me  lovingly.  Must  I  fall  at  your 
feet?  " 

"  It  is  useless  for  you  to  lower  yourself  to  me.  Sim- 
ply consent  to  give  me  what  I  have  asked  of  you." 

"  Your  liberty  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Absolute  liberty  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?" 

"  I  wish  to  go  out  when  I  want  to,  and  where  I  want  to; 
I  wish  to  be  allowed  to  receive  any  person  whom  I  fancy 
here,  without  having  to  ask  your  permission." 

The  Prince  hesitated. 

"  Ah  !  "  he  said,  "  this  is  a  declaration  of  war." 

"  No,  only  of  principles.  My  dignity  refuses  to  accept 
any  control  whatever  over  my  actions." 

"  But  will  you  promise  me  to  be  prudent,  and  not  to 
compromise  yourself  ?  " 

"  If  I  were  to  promise  that,  I  should  at  once  acknowl- 
edge myself  capable  of  abusing  my  liberty." 

*'  Well,  I  grant  your  request.  Only  I  wish  your  old 
governess  always  to  accompany  you." 

"  No,  I  want  Katia." 

"And  why  Katia?" 

"  Because  my  old  governess  bores  me." 

"  But  Katia  is  only  a  waiting- maid." 

"  She  is  very  well  educated,  as  I  have  told  you,  and  I 
wish  to  make  her  my  secretary." 

*  Dove,  very  frequently  used  as  term  of  endearment  in  Russia. 


REBELLION".  77 


"  Your  secretary  !  Do  you  intend  to  enter  the  min- 
istry '?" 

"Almost.  I  wish  to  undertake  some  serious  work;  I 
want  to  organize  a  House  of  Refuge  for  tx>or  children." 

"  Bah  !  " 

"I  find  life  so  little,  so  monotonous." 

"  Why  do  you  not  think  of  marriage  ?  " 

"  If  I  am  to  marry,  I  must  find  a  man  to  suit  me — such 
a  one  I  have  never  met." 

"  But  if  I  were  to  find  a  good  match  for  you — a  man  of 
old  birth,  distinguished  title,  princely  fortune,  fine  appear- 
ance? " 

"All  that  would  be  nothing  to  me  if  I  did  not  like  him; 
above  all,  if  he  did  not  possess  certain  moral  qualities  that 
I  must  find  in  my  husband." 

"  What  qualities  are  those?" 

"  Why  should  I  tell  you?  You  would  not  understand 
me." 

"  I  will  try." 

"  Are  you  then  in  a  great  hurry  to  get  rid  of  me  ?  " 

"  No,  but  you  are  old  enough  to  be  married;  and  I  long 
to  have  grand-children." 

"  To  inherit  your  large  fortune?" 

"  Certainly." 

Wanda  smiled. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ironical  smile?" 

"  Because  I  think  that  you  are  wrong  to  trouble  your- 
self about  your  fortune.  Before  you  have  any  heirs,  very 
probably  your  acres  will  no  longer  belong  to  you." 

"How  can  that  be?"  said  the  Prince,  starting  from  his 
seat. 

"  Perhaps  the  revolution  will  have  swept  them  away." 

"The  Nihilist  revolution?     Do  you  believe  in  it?" 

"  I  believe  in  it  as  firmly  as  I  believe  that  the  sun 
shines." 

"  Are  you  still  taken  up  with  these  idle  crotchets?" 

"I  only  observe,  and  see  what  is  going  on;  that  is  all. 
Revolution  is  in  the  air,  the  atmosphere  is  charged  with 
electricity,  and  at  any  moment  the  storm  may  burst." 


78  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"You  see  all  that  through  the  medium  of  your  roman- 
tic imagination.  I  spoke  to  Trepoff  about  it  yesterday. 
He  thinks  the  nihilists  are  but  few  in  number,  and  very 
weak." 

"If  you  think  them  inoffensive,  why  do  you  pursue 
them  with  such  rigor  ?" 

"  Because  they  are  criminals — men  capable  of  every- 
thing— fearing  neither  God  nor  man;  they  would  under- 
mine the  very  foundations  of  authority,  without  which 
no  society  is  possible;  their  doctrines  endanger  the  gov- 
ernment, the  established  order  of  things,  the  safety  of  the 
family,  and  of  property." 

"You  have  left  out  religion,"  said  Wanda,  laughing. 
"  Be  all  this  as  it  may,  I  think  we  may,  in  a  few  years,  be 
reduced  to  work  for  our  living;  and  for  my  part,  I  intend 
to  learn  a  trade,  so  that  I  can  support  you  and  myself,  if 
it  be  necessary." 

"  If  your  prediction  should  be  realized,  dear  Wanda, 
you  need  not  trouble  yourself  about  my  fate.  Rather 
than  look  on  such  a  spectacle  I  should  prefer  to  blow 
out  my  brains.  But  let  us  put  aside  these  gloomy  fore- 
bodings, and  say,  as  did  the  King  of  France,  '  Apr^s 
nous,  le  de'hiye.''  I  want  to  speak  to  you  to-day  about 
something  of  much  greater  importance." 

"What  is  that?"  said  Wanda,  with  indifference. 

"I  wish  to  consult  you  about  the  fete  that  I  intend  to 
give  on  your  twenty-first  birthday.  I  wish  it  to  be  regal 
in  its  magnificence;  I  wish  everyone  in  Petersburg  to  be 
talking  about  it;  I  wish  my  beautiful  Wanda  to  have  a 
perfect  triumph." 

"You  are  very  good,  father;  but  you  know  I  hate 
ostentation.  If  you  really  desire  a  reconciliation  with 
me,  give  up  this  fete^  and  let  me  have  the  money  that  it 
•would  cost  for  my  poor.'' 

"  How  much  do  you  want  for  your  poor?" 

"  Whatever  the  fete  would  cost." 

"Well!  I  will  give  the  fete,  and  besides  you  shall 
have  as  much  money  as  it  will  cost.  Will  that  satisfy 
you?  " 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  79 

"  No,  I  want  all." 

"How?" 

"  Twice  the  money  that  thef&e  would  cost." 

"Very  well!  I  will  double  the  sum  ;  but  I  must  have 
the  fete  ;  I  have  an  idea  in  my  mind." 

"An  introduction  to  some  one,  perhaps?  So  often 
you  have  introduced  me  to  men  whom  I  cannot  fancy." 

*'  But  this  one  is  really  promising." 

"  I  will  lay  a  wager  that  it  is  Prince  Stackelberg. 
Possibly  he  might  do;  but  in  the  first  place  I  must  know 
him." 

''You  shall  know  him.  He  is  truly  a  distinguished 
man,  with  a  more  than  ordinary  mind,  together  with 
energv  and  savoir-faire.  He  will  get  on  in  the 
world!" 

Just  then  a  footman  entered  and  handed  a  card  to  the 
Prince. 

"Chabert!"  he  exclaimed.  "To  be  sure,  it  is  twelve 
o'clock.  Will  you  receive  him  here?  " 

"  Certainly,"  said  Wanda,  rising  and '  going  towards 
the  door. 

"In  order  to  satisfy  you  completely,  I  promise  you  to 
do  everything  in  my  power  for  this  protege  of  yours." 

Chabert  entered. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   FAIR   PROPAGANDIST. 

THE  Prince,  whose  manners  were  perfect,  received  the 
French  engineer  in  the  most  charming  and  cordial  way. 

Wanda  extended  him  her  little  white  hand,  which 
peeped  out  from  a  wide  sleeve  of  ruby  velvet. 

"  Allow  me,"  said  the  Prince,  "  to  swallow  a  mouthful 
of  breakfast  and  put  on  my  coat;  I  shall  be  with  you  in 


80  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


twenty  minutes.  The  minister  knows  that  you  are  com- 
ing. It  is  rather  a  difficult  matter  to  push  through;  but 
I  think  we  shall  succeed." 

He  left  the  room. 

Raymond  found  himself  alone  with  Wanda  for  the  first 
time  since  his  arrival  at  Petersburg;  his  face  glowed 
with  delight. 

Without  being  strictly  handsome,  Raymond  Chabert 
had  a  fine,  intelligent  head.  His  deep-set,  dark  blue  eyes 
betrayed  a  nature  of  intense  feeling.  His  high  forehead, 
his  delicate  mouth  and  slightly  pointed  chin,  gave  evi- 
dence, according  to  the  theory  of  Lavater,  of  great  pow- 
ers of  self-devotion. 

He  had  none  of  the  frivolity  which  is  attributed  to  the 
French;  but  he  had  all  their  noble  impulses — courage, 
honor,  chivalry,  and  above  all  a  wild  thirst  for  liberty  and 
justice. 

There  was  more  than  one  point  of  resemblance  between 
himself  and  Wanda;  and  the  young  Nihilist  had  given 
him  all  her  confidence,  and  a  friendship  which  amounted 
almost  to  tenderness. 

"  We  have  not  seen  one  another  for  two  months,"  said 
the  Princess.  "How  much  we  have  to  talk  about  and 
to  tell  one  another,  haven't  we?" 

"  Let  me  come  to  myself.  The  happiness  of  seeing 
you  alone  is  so  great — I  am  dazzled,  as  it  were." 

Wanda  looked  at  him  with  a  tender  smile. 

"  Yesterday,  at  the  ball,  you  were  so  surrounded,  so 
beautiful,  that  I  did  not  dare  approach  or  speak  to  you; 
and  to-night,  at  the  Club,  the  few  words  that  I  uttered 
were  received  with  so  much  irony —  " 

"  Oh,  well  !  never  mind.  Tell  me  the  news  from 
Ukraine.  What  are  they  doing  ?  Are  they  enthusi- 
astic ?  Did  you  pass  through  Kieff  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Whom  did  you  see  there  ?  " 

"  Some  of  the  students." 

"  Are  the  young  people  in  the  schools  as  discontented 
as  they  were  ?" 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  81 

"  More  and  more  so.  Their  meetings  have  been  pro- 
hibited, and  that  has  exasperated  them.  The  workmen 
are  very  ardent." 

"And  the  peasants  ?" 

"  Always  indolent  and  careless.  They  stupefy  them- 
selves with  liquor  and  forget  their  misery." 

"  Poor  peasants  ! "  said  Wanda,  "  so  intelligent,  so 
simple,  so  resigned  ! " 

"They  keep  themselves  very  close;  they  sometimes 
listen  to  our  missionaries,  however,  and  the  seed  is  be- 
ing sowed." 

"  And,  doubtless,  it  will  bear  fruit." 

"And  now  tell  me  about  yourself,"  said  Raymond. 
"You  look  very  pale — is  anything  the  matter  with  you?  " 

"  I  am  tired,  and  I  have  been  opposed,  that  is  all." 

"How.  long  these  two  months  have  been!"  said  Cha- 
bert.  "  If  you  could  but  know  how  my  heart  and  my 
soul  have  thirsted  to  hear  your  voice!  If  you  could  but 
know  how  I  have  missed  our  walks  and  talks  by  the 
banks  of  the  Dnieper!  " 

"  My  dear  Raymond,"  said  Wanda,  laughing, "  you  are 
decidedly  too  gallant  for  a  conspirator." 

"  Do  you  call  me  gallant  because  I  tell  you  how  lonely 
and  wretched  I  was  after  you  left  me,  and  what  a  void 
your  absence  made  in  my  life?" 

"Forgive  me,  my  dearest  friend;  I  cannot  let  you  go 
on,  for  you  certainly  will  propose,  and  that,  you  know, 
according  to  our  agreement,  cannot  be  allowed." 

"  I  propose  to  you?— the  worm  to  the  star?  It  is  not 
love  that  I  fee)  for  you — it  is  worship,  respectful  worship. 
Can  the  sun  prevent  us  from  warming  ourselves  in  its 
rays?" 

"  Very  Oriental!  Bravo!  Go  on!  But  you  know 
that  we  reformers  discountenance  all  gallantry  and  fine 
speeches." 

"  I  know  it;  but  my  heart  is  overflowing,  and  I   can 

find  no  words  to   tell  you  the  impression   that  you   have 

made  upon  me.     Not  only  your  beauty,  and  the    charm 

of  your  sympathetic  voice,    but  your   great   heart,   your 

6 


82  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS, 

goodness,  your  generosity,  have  overwhelmed  me  with 
respect  and  admiration." 

"  That  is  enough,  isn't  it?      Do  let  us  talk  sensibly!  " 

"  I  haven't  any  sense  left.  When  I  think  that  you 
have  deigned  to  interest  yourself  in  me;  when  I  think 
how  kindly  you  have  listened  to  the  tale  of  my  folly,  and 
how,  by  your  eyes,  by  your  words,  you  have  poured  hope 
into  my  blighted  life,  I  cannot  restrain  my  gratitude. 
And  I  would  like  to  prove  it  to  you,  not  by  words  merely, 
but  by  deeds,  if  my  life  can  ever  be  of  use  to  you." 

"  Take  care,  I  might  possibly  accept  that  offer." 

"Will  you  truly?" 

"I  can't  say  just  now;  but  there  may  come  a  time 
when  I'  shall  ask  you  for  it,  although  if  I  remember 
ario-ht,  you  offered  it  once  to  somebody  else." 

"How?" 

"Do  you  forget  your  promise?  Suppose  Michael  Fe- 
deroff  should  claim  it! :' 

"  He  asked  me  to  devote  my  life  to  the  service  of  a 
great  cause,  but  I  did  not  give  him  a  promise." 

"That  is  a  delicate  distinction.  However,  as  Doctor 
Federoff's  views  and  mine  are  identical,  we  shall  prob- 
ably understand  one  another." 

"Then  will  you  accept  the  offer  of  my  life?  Wanda, 
my  sister,  my  friend,  I  am  intoxicated  with  delight! 
Thanks!  oh,  thanks!" 

"  Speaking  of  the  Doctor,"  continued  Wanda,  "  have 
you  received  anything  from  Geneva?" 

"Yes,  a  large  package." 

"What  is  in  it?" 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  Is  that  all  the  interest  you  take  in  the  cause?" 

"  It  was  not  intended  for  me." 

"For  whom,  then?" 

"  For  you." 

"Why  did  you  not  tell  me  about  it?" 

"  I  was  ordered  not  to  give  it  to  you  until  you  attained 
your  majority,  that  is,  in  eight  days." 

"  Did  Michael  Federoff  write  you  that?" 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  83 

"Yes." 

"Did  he  tell  you  why?" 

"  No." 

"  Oh,  I  am  so  curious!  give  it  me  now." 

"  I  am  your  slave,  Wanda  Petrowna;  I  will  obey  you. 
However,  let  me  make  you  understand  that  Doctor  Fed- 
eroff  insists  upon  my  not  giving  you  the  package  until 
the  13th  of  January." 

"  Do  you  think  they  are  political  pamphlets?"  enquired 
the  Princess,  very  much  excited. 

"  I  think  not.     It  looks  like  a  manuscript." 

"A  manuscript?  and  done  up  in  a  package?" 

"  It  may  be  a  very  long  letter." 

"  Did  he  tell  you  why  he  did  not  send  it  to  me  at  once  ?  " 

"  He  was  afraid  that  it  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Prince." 

"Very  probably!  Well,  to  show  how  strong  I  am, 
although  I  am  dying  with  curiosity,  I  will  wait  until  the 
13th." 

The  Prince  entered.  "  I  am  ready,"  he  said,  "and  the 
sled  is  waiting.  Let  us  go." 

Raymond  bowed  to  Wanda,  laying  his  hand  upon  his 
heart,  in  Oriental  fashion,  and  left  the  room  with  the 
Prince. 

"  What  a  loyal  nature,  what  a  generous  heart! "  thought 
Wanda.  "  If  I  were  allowed  to  love — perhaps. ..." 

She  sat  down,  lost  in  thought. 

But  suddenly  rising  to  her  feet,  she  passed  her  hands 
across  her  brow,  as  though  to  banish  thought. 

"No,  no,"  she  said  aloud.  "I  will  not.  Apostles  dare 
not  love.  I  have  taken  the  oath — and  this  man  might 
possibly  cause  me  to  forget — the  other."  ,.  , 

A  footman  entered  bringing  a  card. 

"  Ask  the  gentleman  to  come  up,"  she  said. 

It  was  Count  Verenine. 

"  What  is  the  matter — this  troubled  face — what  has 
happened?" 

"Ah!  Wanda!  what  a  night  I  have  passed!  Howl 
must  love  you  to  play  this  part!  A  spy  upon  the  Em- 


84  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

peror,  upon  the  man  who  has  loaded  my  family  with 
gifts,  who  has  treated  me  like  his  own  child!  And  I  am  a 
very  bad  conspirator;  I  almost  betrayed  myself  and  you 
too!  I  cannot  lie,  above  all  to  the  Emperor,  who  can  look 
right  into  my  heart." 

Wanda  made  no  answer. 

Her  eyes  expressed  uneasiness  and  severity,  compas- 
sion and  contempt  for  her  cousin's  weakness. 

"  Do  not  look  at  me  that  way,  Wanda,  I  beg  you." 

"You  are  a  child,  Alexis,"  said  the  Princess  in  a  firm 
voice.  "  You  are  grateful  to  the  Emperor  for  your  fa- 
ther's wealth;  but  every  Imperial  favor  is  an  iniquity. 
The  fortunes  that  he  gives  away  belong  to  the  people, 
and  every  personal  sentiment  should  be  blotted  out  in 
the  presence  of  the  great  cause  of  humanity.  Have  not 
I  taught  you  this?  Have  you  not  accepted  this  doctrine 
and  sworn  to  devote  yourself  to  it?  " 

«  That  is  true." 

it  Well—" 

"My  reason  goes  with  you,  but  my  heart  revolts 
against  my  ingratitude." 

"  Instead  of  looking  upon  the  benefits  that  the  Emperor 
grants  to  his  favorites,  look  at  his  government,  loading 
the  people  with  taxes,  hunting  the  nihilists  like  wild 
beasts,  scourging  men  with  rods " 

"  He  knows  nothing  of  it,"   interupted  Verenine. 

"  That  may  be  ;  but  he  is  responsible  for  it,  because  he 
has  absolute  power." 

"  I  assure  you,  he  is  very  liberal." 

"  Well,  then,  why  does  he  not  act  according  to  his  con- 
victions?" 

"His  kind  heart  makes  him  weak." 

"  When  one  is  all  powerful,  one  has  no  right  to  be  weak. 
When  the  hand  is  too  weak  to  hold  the  scepter,  it  should 
be  laid  aside." 

"I  think  he  is  going  to  make  some  great  resolve." 

"They  have  been  talking  about  that  so  long!  If  he 
had  been  firmer  he  could  have  transformed  Russia.  In 
circumstances  like  the  present,  weakness  entails  terrible 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  85 

consequences.     Take  care,  Alexis  !     Do  not  allow  your- 
self to  be  guilty  of  weakness." 

"  Speak,  Wanda  !  I  will  do  whatever  you  order  me  to 
do." 

"  Well !  Tell  me  what  happened  last  night.  Hide 
nothing  from  me." 

The  young  aide-de-camp  repeated,  word  for  word,  his 
interview  with  the  Czar. 

"And  is  this  the  cause  of  all  this  emotion?"  exclaimed 
Wanda. 

"  But  suppose  the  Emperor  speaks  to  me  again  about 
this  marriage,  and  his  kindly  intentions  towards  us?" 
asked  Verenine,  with  beseeching  look  and  lips  tremb- 
ling with  emotion. 

"Tell  him  that  the  love  of  Wanda  Kryloff  is  not  to  be 
bought ;  and  that  she  will  marry  the  man  she  loves,  if  he 
is  not  worth  a  kopeck,*  in  preference  to  all  the  nobles  of 
the  world." 

"And — so — I  suppose  /  am  not  worthy  of  you.  You  are 
perfectly  indifferent  to  me." 

"  No,  good,  brave  Alexis,  I  have  a  genuine,  sincere  af- 
fection for  you.  If  I  scold  you,  it  is  that  I  want  to  make 
a  hero  of  you." 

"You  can  make  what  you  will  of  me,  Wanda;  if  not 
a  hero,  at  least  a  slave." 

"  O  no;  not  a  slave,  but  an  independent  man;  and  so 
my  sisterly  love  for  you  will  increase." 

"  Sisterly!"  repeated  the  young  man,  sighing. 
"  Yes,  that  pure  love  fortifies  the  soul,  while  passion 
weakens  it.     And  you  know  to  what  work  I  have  devoted 
my  life." 

"But  that  work  may  last  for  a  long  time." 
"  That  may  be ;  especially  if  the  workers  are  as  luke- 
warm as  you  are." 

"  Well,  will  you  promise  me  that  later. ..." 
"  I  will  promise  nothing." 

But  she  bent  upon  him  such  a  loving  look  and  smile, 
that  it  completed  the  overthrow  of  the  tender  Alexis. 

*100  kopecks  make  a  rouble. 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


"  What  is  that  noise?"  she  suddenly  said;  "  is  that  my 
father?" 

Verenine  went  towards  the  window. 

"  No,  it  is  not  the  Prince;  it  is — I  saw  him  at  the  ball 
last  night;  you  were  talking  to  him — it  is  Prince  Stack- 
elberg." 

"  Are  you  sure?"  said  Wanda,  rising  and  looking  out 
of  the  window.  "  Yes,  it  is." 

"  Will  you  see  him?"  asked  Verenine. 

"  Yes;  I  expected  him  this  morning." 

Verenine  sighed,  took  his  fair  cousin's  hand  and  kissed 
it.  As  he  went  out,  he  met  the  young  German  on  the 
stairway. 

Prince  Vassili  Antonovitch  Stackelberg  was  descended 
from  one  of  those  German  families  that  Peter  the  First 
transplanted  into  every  administration  of  the  Empire. 
Thanks  to  their  tenacious  rapacity,  and  their  patient  fac- 
ulty for  slow  infiltration,  they  have  ended  by  worming 
themselves  into  every  office  of  the  government. 

They  are  hard  workers,  careful  in  detail,  punctual  in 
attendance,  thorough  business  men,  and  good  accountants. 
The  Slavs,  on  the  contrary,  are  careless;  their  ungov- 
erned,  intangible,  unstable  characters  render  them  unfit 
for  steady  work  which  requires  application  and  upright- 
ness. The  want  in  the  character  of  the  Slavs  has  made 
the  fortune  of  the  Germans  in  Russia. 

The  family  of  Vassili  von  Stackelberg  claimed  to  be  of 
princely  origin,  and  although  these  German-Russians  have 
never  had  a  higher  rank  than  Count  or  Baron,  the  Stackel- 
bergs  had  obtained  permission  to  take  the  title  of  Prince. 

This  young  man,  about  thirty  years  of  age,  was  a  type 
of  his  race.  A  square  head,  set  upon  angular  shoulders, 
long,  unweildy  legs,  which  gave  him  a  heavy  and  plebe- 
ian walk,  an  unhealthy-looking  complexion,  yellow  hair, 
hard  piercing  eyes,  made  his  face  look  like  a  mask,  and 
its  expression  was  as  impenetrable  as  one. 

His  lips  like  a  woman's,  his  long  hands  with  their  flabby 
fingers,  indicated  a  nature  which  will  stop  at  nothing  to 
attain  its  aim. 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  87 

And  yot,  thanks  to  his  height,  his  name  and  his  fortune, 
he  passed  for  a  handsome  man;  and  thanks  to  his  haughty, 
affected  air,  his  reserved  and  correct  manners,  for  a  future 
statesman. 

As  he  entered  Wanda's  boudoir  he  bowed  with  studied 
elegance. 

"Forgive  me,  Princess,"  said  Stackelberg,  "if  I  have 
been  indiscreet  enough  to  send  up  my  card  in  the  absence 
of  the  Prince,  but  I  wish  to  ask  for  some  important  infor- 
mation from  you  before  I  accept  the  mission  with  which 
the  Emperor  has  deigned  to  honor  me." 

"  Ah,  yes,  this  inquiry  into  the  nihilist  movement  in 
Southern  Russia." 

"  Principally  in  the  Provinces  of  Kieff  and  Odessa, 
Ekaterinoslav,  Kherson  and  Kharkoff.  It  is  a  great  proof 
of  confidence,  of  which  I  am  justly  proud,  and  I  wish  to 
prove  myself  worthy  of  it.  Therefore  I  do  not  desire  to 
accept  without  knowing  something  of  the  moral  condition 
of  the  country  that  I  shall  have  to  report  upon. 

"If  I  understand  you,"  answered  Wanda,  "you  wish 
to  be  certain  beforehand  that  you  will  meet  with  work 
worthy  of  your  powers?" 

He  bowed,  with  an  affectedly  modest  smile. 

"  I  mean  to  say  that  I  do  not  care  tp  go  on  a  fruitless 
errand.  As  they  have  intrusted  this  to  me. ..." 

"  You  must,  at  least,"  interrupted  Wanrla,  laughing, 
"find  subject-matter  for  a  report  which  will  do  you 
credit."  . 

"  It  seems  to  me  you  are  laughing  at  me." 

"I  am  only  trying  to  understand  you,  that  is  all,"  re- 
plied Wanda,  with  assumed  candor. 

Vassili  continued: 

"I  have  heard  a  great  deal  of  you,  Princess,  as  a  wo- 
man far  above  the  average.  Not  only  is  your  mind  beau- 
tifully cultured,  but  they  tell  me  you  have  a  rare  intel- 
lect, and  a  high-toned,  energetic  character." 

"  I  have  some  friends  who  exaggerate  my  good  points, 
and  then  my  father's  fortune  and  my  rank  help  on  the 
reputation  that  they  are  kind  enough  to  give  me." 


88  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  The  proof  that  you  have  a  real  value  is,  that  you  have 
also  enemies." 

"  That  is  more  interesting." 

"Should  I  have  a  better  chance  of  pleasing  you  were 
I  to  criticise  you?  I  should  like  to,  but  I  do  not  know 
where  to  commence.  You  seem  to  me  rather  proud." 

«  I  am." 

"But  in  my  eyes  pride  is  rather  a  quality  than  a  fault. 
Pride  gives  dignity.  I  like  proud  women;  I  like  them 
not  to  yield  too  easily  to  love." 

"It  seems  to  me,". interrupted  Wanda,  smiling,  "that 
we  are  wandering  from  our  subject." 

"How  can  I  always  hold  the  thread  of  my  discourse, 
when  talking  to  a  woman  as  beautiful  as  you  are?" 

"  As  you  have  mentioned  your  preferences,  allow  me 
to  speak  of  mine.  I  do  not  like  the  habit  that  we 
Russians  have  borrowed  from  the  French,  of  only  speak- 
ing to  women  in  words  of  gallantry  and  flattery,  as  if  they 
were  incapable  of  understanding  anything  else." 

"Very  well,  then,  let  us  go  back  to  socialism,  and  you 
will  see  that,  far  from  looking  upon  you  as  a  frivolous 
doll,  I  expect  from  you  serious  information  about  the  im- 
portant question  which  brings  me  here.  They  say  that 
you  are  a  socialist.  Of  course  I  do  not  believe  it." 

"  In  fact,  as  I  am  a  Princess,  and  enjoy  every  social 
prerogative,  it  is  quite  natural  that  I  should  find  every- 
thing perfect  in  this  most  perfect  of  worlds." 

"  But  I  am  told  this  society  contains  a  great  many 
young  persons,  men  and  women,  who  belong  to  the 
nobility." 

"  I  have  heard  that,  too;  but  I  think  they  can  only  be 
nobles  that  are  more  or  less  ruined,  or  not  well  received 
at  court." 

"  There  are  others,  besides.  The  Slavs  are  light  and 
Y«ry  enthusiastic." 

"Are  you  not  enthusiastic,  Prince?" 

"  Enthusiasm  is  a  madness,  and  God  be  praised,  I  am 
quite  sane." 

"  And  still,  there  is  good  in  enthusiasm.  Nothing 
Treat  and  noble  is  accomplished  without  it." 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  80 

"  I  assure  you,  I  am  essentially  a  positive,  practical 
man.  And  still  at  this  moment  you  make  me  under- 
stand that  enthusiasm  may  be  a  powerful  motive  power, 
inherent  in  some  natures." 

"  I  am  still  waiting  to  hear  your  question  about  South- 
ern Russia,"  interrupted  Wanda,  drumming  with  her  rosy 
fingers  upon  the  table  beside  her. 

"  I  obey!  The  opinions  about  this  socialist  question  are 
very  diverse;  some  say  that  it  is  making  frightful  pro- 
gress; others  deny  it,  and  think  that  the  nihilists  are 
very  few  in  number,  and  make  all  this  fuss  to  conceal 
their  weakness.  Now,  tell  me,  is  this  party  dangerous 
or  not?  You  will  do  me  a  great  service  in  giving  me 
your  opinion — at  least,  about  the  condition  of  affairs  in 
your  domains;  and  I  should  like  also  to  have  the  opinion 
of  the  Prince,  your  father." 

"  Oh  !  my  father  !  "  said  Wanda,  laughing,  "  he  sees 
nihilists  everywhere.  I  should  not  be  astonished  if  he 
looks  under  his  bed  every  night  for  fear  of  finding  one 
of  them  there.  It  is  a  mania  with  him.  You  can't  utter 
their  name  in  his  presence  without  putting  him  in  a 
fury.  I  think  the  minister  has  set  this  inquiry  on  foot 
at  his  instigation." 

"  And  you?   I  want  your  opinion." 

"Well!  it  is  this:  There  are  nihilists;  they  do  exist; 
but  if  you  find  twenty  in  Odessa,  thirty  in  Kieff,  and 
one  hundred  in  the  whole  of  Southern  Russia,  1  think 
you  will  be  doing  well." 

"  Ahundred  active  propagandists — that  is  possible;  but 
how  many  converts,  how  many  neophytes  do  you  think 
there  are?" 

"  If  there  are  any,  what  means  will  you  take  to  dis- 
cover them?  The  Russian  peasant,  although  apparently 
so  brutalized,  is  suspicious,  crafty,  very  cunning.  It  is 
difficult  to  make  him  out." 

"Then,  would  you  advise  me  to  refuse  this  mission?" 

"  No.  On  the  contrary,  it  may  give  you  a  great  deal 
of  reputation.  All  these  investigations  and  official  re- 
ports do  not  seem  to  be  of  any  use;  but  they  bring  those 


90  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

that  make  them  into  notice.  The  nihilists  may  be  much 
more  numerous  than  I  suppose,  and  your  inquiry  may  be 
very  useful." 

Stackelberg  watched  Wanda  closely  while  she  was 
speaking. 

"  Would  you  be  willing  to  help  me  in  my  researches  ?  " 
he  continued. 

"  Certainly,  if  I  can  be  of  any  use,  or  any  service  to 
my  country.  It  is  true  that  I  pity  these  wretched  mani- 
acs, or,  if  they  are  not  maniacs,  these  criminals,  who 
preach  rebellion  and  anarchy;  but  I  know  the  respect 
due  to  the  laws  of  my  country,  and  I  will  be  your 
co-worker  in  the  noble  mission  that  you  are  about  to 
accept.  For  you  will  accept  it,  will  you  not  ?  If  there 
are  no  socialists,  and  if  needs  must,  we  can  invent  a  few — 
I  have  heard  that  a  great  many  inquiries  have  been  made 
after  that  manner." 

Now,  Vassili  was  watching  and  listening  to  Wanda 
uneasily.  Was  she  joking,  or  was  she  in  earnest  ?  Was 
she  playing  a  part  ?  Did  she  suspect  the  object  of  his 
visit  ? 

If  she  were  a  nihilist,  as  they  charged  her  with  being, 
she  would  be  on  her  guard.  But  then,  her  conversation 
was  so  easy,  her  tone  so  light,  that  it  made  him  hesitate. 

No;  a  regular  socialist  could  never. have  kept  up  this 
conversation  with  an  agent  of  the  Third  Section. 

He  changed  his  tactics. 

"I  am  not  as  unfriendly  as  you  think  to  the  nihilist 
views.  I  am  liberal,  very  liberal,  perhaps  more  so  than 
you  yourself." 

"Who  told  you  that  I  am  a  liberal  ?"  said  Wanda, 
feigning  astonishment. 

"  Public  rumor." 

"  The  public  seems  to  trouble  itself  a  great  deal 
about  me." 

"  How  can  it  fail  to  trouble  itself  about  you,  if  it  has 
once  seen  you  ?" 

"  Another  naughty  speech,  Mr.  Inquisitor.  If  you  go 
on  flattering  me  this  way  I  will  not  be  your  co-worker." 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  91 

"  Yes,  I  am  truly  liberal,"  continued  Vassili,  "  and  you 
inspire  me  with  such  confidence  that  I  will  tell  you  the 
whole  truth.  I  shall  only  accept  this  mission  in  the  hope 
that  I  shall  be  able,  by  exaggerating  the  importance  of 
the  revolutionary  movement,  to  help  on  the  truly  liberal 
party." 

"Ah,  that  falls  in  with  my  opinion  of  the  manner  in 
which  these  inquiries  are  conducted." 

"Have  you  heard  anything  of  this  red  letter  that  was 
thrown  into  the  Emperor's  carriage,  yesterday?"  contin- 
ued Stackelberg. 

"A  red  letter?" 

"  Every  one  is  talking  about  it  to-day." 

"No,"  answered  Wanda;  "what  was  in  it?" 

u  I  do  not  exactly  know,  but  it  appears  to  have  made 
a  deep  impression  upon  the  Emperor.  He  had  a  stormy 
interview  with  Gortschakoff  this  morning;  he  threatened 
to  give  in  his  resignation — perhaps  by  this  time  it  has 
been  accepted." 

As  he  spoke,  Stackelberg  watched  the  Princess  atten- 
tively; but  Wanda  saw  through  his  game,  and  was  on  her 
guard. 

"This  is  very  important  news,"  she  said  in  an  indiffer- 
ent tone. 

"  Now,  this  rupture  with  the  most  powerful  man  in  the 
empire  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  Emperor  wishes  to 
give  a  constitution  to  Russia,  and  to  proceed  slowly  in 
the  way  of  reform.  Now  follow  me ;  if  we  frighten  the 
Emperor,  we  can  get  more  out  of  him  than  by  reassuring 
him." 

"Are  you  in  favor  of  a  constitution,  Vassili  Antono- 
vitch?" 

"Certainly!  and  you,  what  do  you  desire?" 

"  You  insist  upon  my  being  a  liberal." 

"I  suppose  so;  it  is  impossible  to  be  intelligent,  to  re- 
flect, to  think,  without  being  a  liberal." 

"Gortschakoff's  opinion  has  something  in  it." 

"  What  is  his  opinion?" 

"  He  thinks  that  a  wind  of  democracy  is  blowing  against 
Europe,  and  that,  sooner  or  later,  it  will  carry  aw^v  ou»- 


92  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

court  and  all  our  privileges  j  but  that  we,  boyards,  whose 
fate  is  very  much  to  be  envied,  should  not  assist  the  bad 
wind  to  blow  on  us  ;  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  we  should 
keep  it  back  as  long  as  we  can  ;  and  when  at  last  it  shall 
reach  us,  we  must  endeavor  that  it  may  work  us  as  little 
harm  as  possible." 

"Ah  !  I  do  not  recognize  you  in  that  speech,  Princess  ! 
Can  you  reason  with  such  egotism,  you,  who  have  so  no- 
ble a  character?  " 

"  That  is  not  egotism,  it  is  common  sense." 

"  I  think  there  is  but  one  way  to  preserve  us  from  the 
storm,  and  that  is  to  turn  aside  the  thunderbolts.  The 
constitution,  which  I  ardently  desire,  would  have  the  ef- 
fect of  a  lightning-rod." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right.  It  might  retard  the  revolu- 
tion for  a  few  years." 

"  Do  you  believe  in  the  revolution?  " 

"  It  is  very  much  the  fashion,  and  I  use  the  word  with- 
out attaching  much  importance  to  it." 

"She  will  not  let  herself  be  caught,"  thought  Vassili. 
"And  still,  I  am  sure  that  she  is  a  socialist  and  that  she  is 
makin  g  fun  of  me." 

He  resolved  to  strike  one  more  blow,  in  order  ^  to  sur- 
prise her. 

He  spoke  abruptly : 

"I  am  intimately  acquainted  with  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Deliverance." 

At  these  words,  Wanda  could  not  help  trembling  slight- 
ly. She  winked  her  eyes  quickly,  as  if  she  had  received 
a  blow. 

"  I  have  her,"  thought  Vassili. 

"I  have  heard  of  that  society,"  said  Wanda,  in  a  per- 
fectly natural  tone  of  voice;  "  well,  what  is  it,  and  what 
is  its  aim?  " 

"  A  large  number  of  its  members  belong  to  the  nobil- 
ity. Its  aim  is  to  overthrow  the  government,  and  to  up- 
root society." 

"  Secret  societies  always  interest  me,"  said  Wanda, 
leaning  eagerly  forward,  as '  though  to  show  the  lively 


THE  FAIR  PROPAGANDIST.  93 

interest  that  she  took  in  the  young  German's  revelations. 
"  I  am  very  curious,  and  everything  secret  attracts  me." 

"  It  is  not,  properly  speaking,  a  secret  society,  it  is 
rather  a  kind  of  propaganda." 

"Are  women  admitted  into  it?" 

"  Among  the  socialists  women  are  recognized  as  the 
equals  of  men." 

"  Are  you  a  member?  " 

"I?  What  are  you  thinking  of?  Their  programme 
is  not  at  all  mine.  I  am  not  as  radical  as  that;  but,  in 
following  out  the  plan  that  I  propose  in  my  inquiry, 
I  shall  be  of  as  much  use  to  the  socialists  as  to  the  Em- 
peror." 

"  That  is  carrying  water  on  both  shoulders,"  said  Wan- 
da, laughing. 

"  You  think  that  I  am  ambitious." 

"  Perhaps." 

"You  are  mistaken,  my  ruling  passion  is. ...  " 

"Perhaps  it  is  assurance?" 

"You  look  into  my  very  heart;  send  me  away,  I  beg 
you;  for,  if  I  stay  here  another  quarter  of  an  hour,  I  shall 
completely  lose  my  senses.  For  my  peace  of  mind,  it 
would  have  been  much  better  if  I  were  to  deprive  my- 
self of  the  assistance  of  such  a  dangerous  co-worker." 

"  Particularly,  "  said  Wanda,  smiling,  "  as  you  had 
made  up  your  mind  beforehand  about  the  way  in  which 
you  intend  to  carry  on  your  work." 

Vassili  bit  his  lips. 

"  I  think,"  she  said,  "  I  have  guessed  the  true  purpose 
of  your  visit." 

"  Could  you  have  guessed  that,  fascinated  by  your  ap- 
pearance last  night,  I  hastened  this  morning  to  express 
my  admiration?" 

"  That  is  not  it.  You  came  direct  from  the  office  of 
the  Third  Section,  did  you  not?  They  told  you  there  that 
I  was  a  nihilist,  and  you  are  curious  to  know  the  truvh." 

Stackelberg  blushed  up  to  his  ears. 

"  Ah,  Princess,  do  you  suspect  me  of  playing  the  part 
of  your  judge  in  your  presence?  " 


94r  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

He  rose,  and  with  an  offended  air  stalked  towards  the 
door.  . 

"  As  I  have  wounded  you  by  my  suspicions,"  continued 

Wanda,  "pray  forgive  me,  and  let  us  part  good  friends." 
.  She  held  out  her  hand,  but  Vassili  hesitated  to  take  it. 
'  Wanda  feared  that  she  had  been  guilty  of  impru- 
dence. She  must  redeem  her  fault  and  regain  the  good 
graces  of  this  crooked  individual. 

"  I  was  only  joking,"  she  said  with  a  fascinating  smile. 
"You  are  not  angry  with  me,  are  you?" 

"How  can  any  one  be  angry  with  you?"  answered  the 
Prince,  rather  embarrassed  by  this  smile. 

"  When  are  you  going  south?" 

"  When  are  you  going?  " 

"  Not  before  April." 

"I  expect  to  go  next  month,"  said  Vassili;  "but  in  all 
probability,  the  inquiry  will  take  me  a  long  time,  for  it 
not  only  embraces  Southern  Russsia  but  Western  Russia 
likewise.  I  shall  begin  in  Podolia,  Volkynia,  Grodno, 
Minsk,  and  Mohilew;  then  I  shall  go  through  Bessarabia, 
the  provinces  of  Kherson  and  of  Ekaterinoslav  and  the 
Crimea,  and  I  shall  wind  up  with  Little  Russia  and  Kieff, 
when  I  shall  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you." 

"  We  expect  that  you  will  make  your  head-quarters  at 
our  house." 

Vassili  bowed.  "  How  can  I  resist  such  an  invita- 
tion?" he  said,  "when  I  would  go  to  the  end  of  the 
world  only  to  look  once  more  at  those  beautiful  eyes!  " 

Wanda  placed  her  finger  upon  her  lips. 

"Hush!  or  we  shall  quarrel  again." 

The  Prince  kissed  the  hand  she  held  out  to  him,  and 
withdrew. 

He  had  hardly  lowered  the  portiere  behind  him  when 
Wanda  spoke,  making  a  movement  of  profound  disgust: 

"What  a  fair-spoken,  slimy  creature!  That  kiss  was 
equal  to  a  viper's  bite." 

She  rubbed  it  off  with  her  other  hand. 

Opening  the  door,  she  called: 

"Katia!  Katia! " 


PASSION.  95 

Katia  came  immediately. 

u  Ah!  the  s:ght  of  you  does  me  good,  after  what  I  have 
just  gone  through." 

And  she  repeated  in  detail  her  interview  with  Stackel- 
berg. 

"  I  should  never  have  had  the  courage  to  give  him  my 
hand,  if  I  had  not  thought  that  the  safety  of  our  friends 
in  the  Ukraine,  and  our  schools  too,  were  at  stake." 

Then  she  told  Katia  all  about  her  conversation  with 
Verenine. 

"  Decidedly,"  she  added,  "  the  address  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary Committee  has  produced  an  effect  upon  the  Em- 
peror, and  seems  to  have  aroused  him." 

"  The  people,"  said  Katia,  "  are  aroused,  too." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

PASSION. 

AT  this  moment  the  footman  entered,  and  handed  Wan- 
da a  letter  sealed  with  a  coat  of  arms. 

Recognizing  the  crest  and  the  handwriting,  Wanda 
tore  it  hastily  open,  and  read  the  following: 

"  DEAREST  WANDA  OP  MY  HEART: 

"You  have  forgotten  me,  you  have  forsaken  me;  and 
yet  your  poor  Nadege  is  the  most  unhappy  of  women.  If 
you  do  not  come  to  me  soon  I  feel  that  I  must  die.  My 
husband  is  false  to  me.  I  have  suspected  it  for  some 
time;  but  to-day  I  know  it.  It  is  horrible!  I  am  in  bed 
with  a  burning  fever.  There  is  no  remedy  for  my  grief, 
no  end  but  death. 

"Ah!  I  am  such  a  coward  that  I  am  ashamed  of  my- 
self. I  love  this  man  who  is  so  false  to  me.  How  can  I 
tell  you?  I  never  loved  him  so  dearly  as  I  do  now. 


96  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Jealousy  devours  me.  When  I  think  that  another 
woman  has  his  love,  his  thoughts,  his  caresses,  I  am 
nearly  mad. 

"I  adore  him!  I  adore  him!  and  he  loves  me  no  long- 
er. He  does  not  hate  me  yet;  but  I  annoy  him  because  I 
cannot  conceal  my  jealousy.  It  breaks  out  in  spite  of 
me,  in  reproaches,  entreaties  and  sobs.  And — he — 
shrugs  his  shoulders  or  else  yawns. 

"If  you  do  not  come  to  me  I  do  not  know  what  will 
become  of  me.  Sometimes  fits  of  madness  seize  me;  I 
want  to  kill  some  one,  to  kill  my  rival,  to  kill  myself,  and 
so  put  an  end  to  an  existence  too  heavy  for  me  to  bear.  I 
depend  only  upon  you,  upon  your  brave  heart,  that  can 
inspire  me  with  the  courage  to  live. 

"  Your  wretched  friend. 

"NADEGE  LITZANOFF." 

Upon  reading  these  heart-breaking  lines  Wanda  grew 
pale,  and  seemed  very  uneasy. 

"Nadege — my  poor  Nadege!"  she  murmured;  "if 
she  knew!  Wretched  Stepane  !  Only  yesterday  what  a 
look  he  gave  me — what  a  gloomy  fire,  what  sadness  in 
those  eyes!" 

At  that  recollection  Wanda  trembled;  she  placed  one 
hand  upon  her  heart,  while  the  other  clutched  the  back 
of  an  arm-chair. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you?"  asked  Katia. 

"  Nothing,"  she  said,  making  an  effort  to  recover  her- 
self. "  Get  yourself  ready,  and  order  my  coup6;  we  are 
going  to  see  Nadege — poor,  dear  soul!" 


THE  THIRD  SECTION.  97 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   THIRD    SECTION". 

WHILE  "Wfcnda  was  going  to  see  her  friend,  Vassili 
Stackelberg  wended  his  way  towards  the  office  of  the 
Tnird  Section. 

Under  this  harmless  title  there  exists  in  Russia  a  secret 
police,  which  has  for  its  aim  the  surveillance  of  every 
suspected  person  in  the  Emperor's  domains. 

The  secret  police,  organized  by  John  the  Terrible,  has 
answered  in  the  most  wonderful  manner  for  the  purpose 
for  which  it  was  intended.  Paul  the  First  abolished  it, 
but  the  Emperor  Nicholas  reorganized  it,  and  gave  it  the 
highest  official  position  in  the  empire.  It  is  under  the 
orders  of  a  secret  commission,  which  acts  as  an  inquisi- 
torial tribunal. 

Petersburg  is  filled  with  its  agents.  Hertzen  said  to 
his  son,  about  to  visit  the  banks  of  the  Neva,  "  Trust  no 
one:  neither  the  coachman  who  drives  you,  nor  the  foot- 
man who  waits  on  you,  nor  even  the  friend  to  whom  you 
may  have  letters.  Expect  to  find  a  spy  everywhere." 

This  formidable  organization  extends  over  the  whole  of 
Russia.  The  secret 'police  arrests  and  imprisons  at  its 
will;  it  has  at  its  command  impregnable  fortresses,  the 
scourge,  solitary  confinement,  starvation,  the  torture  of 
thirst;  black  dungeons,  into  which  men  are  thrust  alive; 
quicksilver  mines,  in  which  the  strongest  man  can  live 
but  five  years;  and  the  snows  of  Siberia,  killing  slowly  by 
cold,  misery  and  despair. 

No  proof  is  necessary.  The  denunciation  by  a  blue 
officer  is  enough. 

In  Russia  the  agents  of  the  secret  police,  instead  of 
being  despised,  are  held  in  high  esteem.  These  posts  can 
only  be  filled  by  men  far  above  the  other  officials,  for  they 
must  be  incorruptible,  HS  they  are  often  called  upon  to 
accuse  men  of  the  highest  rank. 
7 


98  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS, 

The  Chief  of  the  Third  Section  is,  at  the  same  time, 
aide-de-camp  to  the  Emperor,  the  first  officer  in  the  Em- 
pire, and  the  confidante  of  the  Czar.  He  sits  in  the  Cabi- 
net, and  often  decides  weighty  questions. 

But  there  are,  besides,  two  other  police  forces:  the  po- 
lice of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior,  and  the  police  under 
the  administration,  at  this  time,  of  Trepoff.  These  three 
strive  which  shall  discover,  arrest,  and  imprison  the  greater 
number  of  the  Czar's  subjects. 

General  Trepoff  had  gone  home  in  a  terrible  state  of 
agitation  at  the  severe  remarks  made  to  him  by  the 
Emperor.  He  could  not  close  his  eyes  all  night,  and  the 
next  morning  at  seven  o'clock  he  went  to  see  Mezentzoff, 
the  General  of  the  Guards,  to  whom  he  communicated  his 
conversation  with  the  Czar.  At  once  the  General  in  a 
rage  bore  down  upon  the  Third  Section,  and  attacked  the 
colonels;  the  colonels  fell  upon  the  captains,  and  so  on,  to 
the  little  office-boys,  who  had  no  one  to  scold. 

Why  had  no  one  discovered  where  the  red  letter  came 
from?  Why  had  not  the  wretch  who  threw  it  been 
arrested? 

"  You  are  all,"  screamed  the  Chief,  "  either  in  love,  or 
blind,  or  drunk,  or  ill !  Haven't  I  one  single  faithful, 
zealous  employe?  Must  I  watch  over  the  safety  of  the 
Emperor,  and  act  as  policeman?  I  wish  that  before  this 
very  night,  the  writer  of  that  insolent  letter  shall  be 
arrested." 

"  Perhaps,"  said  one  of  the  colonels,  very  timidly,  "per- 
haps the  letter  was  written  by  a  crazy  man." 

"I  don't  care,  find  out  who  the  crazy  man  is.  There 
must  be  a  plot.  Double  your  police-agents.  The  letter 
says  that  the  conspiracy  is  everywhere.  Let  all  the  per- 
sons that  are  suspec-ted  in  society  be  watched,  as  well  as 
the  common  people." 

Then  he  ordered  the  society  list  to  be  brought;  his 
finger  had  just  rested  upon  the  name  of  Princess  Wanda 
Kryloff,  as  Stackelberg  entered. 

"You  have  come  in  the  very  nick  of  time,"  said 
Mezentzoff.  "  Didn't  I  see  you  last  night,  dancing  with 
Princess  Wanda  Kryloff?  " 


THE  THIRD  SECTION.  99 

"  Yes,  you  did." 

"  Well,  she  is  suspected.  Her  beauty  and  her  rank 
would  make  her  a  very  dangerous  agent  for  the  revolu- 
tionists." 

"That  charming  woman  dangerous?  To  us  men,  yes; 
but  not  to  the  government." 

"  My  dear  Prince,  do  you  know  what  is  actually  taking 
place,  now,  here  in  Petersburg?" 

And,  in  a  few  words,  he  laid  before  him  the  progress 
of  nihilism,  not  only  among  the  people,  but  among  the 
nobility,  and,  above  all,  among  the  younger  portion  of 
the  community. 

"  As  you  are  about  to  undertake  the  inquiry  in  South- 
ern Russia,  you  ought  to  find  out  about  the  Princess. 
Her  father,  I  know,  is  true;  but  we  can  no  longer  answer 
for  any  one's  children.  You  are  acquainted  with  the 
Prince,  I  believe?" 

"  I  was  presented  to  him  yesterday,  for  the  first  time." 

"Very  well." 

"  What  am  I  expected  to  do?" 

"  Find  out  if  this  young  girl  is  a  nihilist,  or  connected 
with  any  secret  society.  I  trust  your  discretion — I  sea 
that  you  are  intended  for  a  diplomat." 

Two  hours  after  this  conversation  Prince  Stackelberg 
returned  to  the  office  of  the  Third  Section. 

"  Well,"  said  the  General. 

"I  have  found  out  nothing.  She  is  clever,  proud, 
witty,  coquettish,  charming,  in  fact." 

"  But  what  do  you  think?  " 

"  Watch  her,"  said  Stackelberg. 

The  General  wrote  down,  opposite  Wanda's  name, 
these  words:  "To  be  watched" 

" No,  no,"  exclaimed  Stackelberg.  "Don't  do  that!  If 
she  really  belongs  to  the  socialist  party  let  me  have  the 
glory  of  finding  it  out!  She  has  invited  me  to  pay  her 
a  visit  next  spring,  in  the  Ukraine.  I  shall  have  time  to 
study  her  then." 

"  But  suppose  you  fall  in  love  with  her?  " 

"I  fall  in  love!  General,  love  will  never  make  mt 
forget  my  duty,  nor  the  Emperor's  service." 


100  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Notwithstanding,  the  General  did  not  strike  out  those 
words  "  To  be  watched,"  and  when  the  German  had  left 
the  room  he  gave  orders  accordingly. 

While  Mezentzoff  was  holding  his  interview  with 
Stackelberg,  Trepoff  also  had  sent  out  a  spy  to  entrap 
Wanda. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  EBCBUIT. 

WHEN  Wanda  entered  her  friend's  room  she  found  her 
looking  utterly  disconsolate,  stretched  upon  a  lounge, 
covered  with  furs,  but  shivering  all  over. 

"  Dear  Nadege  1  Your  letter  broke  my  heart.  What 
is  the  matter?" 

Nadege  arose,  and  threw  herself  into  the  Princess' 
arms. 

"  My  life  is  over,"  she  murmured 

"And  you  are  in  this  state  of  mind  because  a  man  has 
been  false  to  you  !  Why,  they  are  false  to  every  one; 
don't  you  know  that?  " 

"But  this  man  is  my  husband,  and  he  swore  to  love 
me.  Ah!  I  cannot  stand  it !  " 

"  But,  my  dear  soul,  Russian  law  is  elastic  enough 
where  marriage  is  concerned.  You  can  ask  for  a  divorce 
and  get  it." 

"Do  you  think  that  so  easy  to  do?" 

"  Everything  is  easy  in  Russia  when  you  have  money." 

Nadege  gave  a  great  sigh. 

"Dear  Wanda,"  she  said,  "there  is  no  cure  for  me — I 
love  him!" 

"  A  man  who  betrays  you,  who  does  not  love  you  any 
longer?" 

"  I  am  weak,  I  am  ignoble,  anything  you  choose: — but 
—I  love  him." 


A  RECRUIT.  101 


And  she  burst  into  tears. 

Nadege  Litzanoff,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  was  an  exquisite 
type  of  Russian  beauty.  Her  light  golden  hair  shaded  a 
brow  white  as  ivory;  and  her  dark  blue  eyes  were 
almost  black.  Her  cheeks,  generally  suffused  with  rose- 
pink,  were  to-day  white  and  spotted  with  red;  and  her 
lovely  mouth,  usually  wreathed  with  smiles,  looked 
drawn  and  hard.  Her  despair  was  so  great  that  she 
had  even  forgotten  all  the  little  coquettish  elegances  of 
dress;  and  yet  her  figure,  simply  wrapped  in  a  morning 
gown  of  blue  cashmere,  was  exquisitely  graceful. 

"  It  is  so  long  since  I  saw  you  !  "  she  continued.  "  Your 
presence  does  me  good,  for  you  are  so  strong." 

"  You  are  just  a  spoiled  child.  Your  life  has  always 
been  a  bed  of  roses,  and  the  first  thorn  that  you  feel 
gives  you  a  mortal  wound.  If  you  would  only  look 
around  you,  you  would  see  many  troubles,  many  sorrows^ 
much  harder  than  yours  to  be  borne." 

"Oh,  Wanda  !  there  is  no  trouble  like  mine.  You  are 
thinking  of  poverty,  and  the  privation  that  it  brings  ; 
but  if  I  had  his  love,  I  could  endure  everything  without 
a  word — cold,  hunger " 

"  And  hard  work  ?  " 

"  Yes;  I  would  go  work  in  the  mines  if  I  thought  that 
would  win  back  his  love." 

"  How  little  you  know  of  the  hard  life  of  the  common 
people  ! " 

"  How  little  you  know  of  love,  dear  Wanda." 

"  How  do  you  know?  " 

"You  have  never  been  in  love,  have  you?" 

"  At  least,  it  is  probable.  I  am  twenty-one  years  old, 
and  women  do  not  generally  reach  that  age  without  hav- 
ing felt  some  palpitations  of  the  heart." 

"  And  you  have  never  told  me,  who  am  your  best 
friend?"  " 

"  I  could  not  tell  you.  It  was  a  love  that  is  perfectly 
impossible." 

"  Impossible? "  said  Nadege.  "  Was  it  one  of  the  Em- 
peror's sons?" 


102  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"No,  my  dear,  you  will  never  find  out.  And  I  assure 
you  it  has  cost  me  a  great  effort  of  will  to  force  back  this 
love,  which  seized  me  suddenly,  powerfully.  But  I  do 
not  want  to  talk  about  myself." 

"Did  not  he  love  you?" 

"  I  think  he  did — but — it  could  not  be.  Let  us  talk  of 
something  else,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  How  did  you  cure  yourself  of  it  ?  "  persisted  Nadege. 

"I  tried  to  distract  my  mind." 

"  Ah  !  If  I  could  only  do  that,"  sighed  Nadege,  "  I  feel 
that  I  could  be  saved;  but  I  cannot.  I  think  of  him  all 
the  time  ;  it  is  a  perfect  infatuation  ;  jealousy  gnaws  at 
my  heart  without  stopping  ;  I  cannot  sleep,  and  if  I  do 
sleep  I  have  the  most  frightful  nightmare.  Sometimes  I 
think  I  shall  lose  my  mind." 

"  How  long  have  you  suffered  this  way  ?  "  asked  Wanda. 

"  For  several  months." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  ?  " 

*'  I  had  only  suspicions  at  first,  but  now  I  am   certain." 

"  Tell  me  everything  ;  nothing  comforts  one  like  pour- 
ing out  one's  grief  into  the  heart  of  a  true  friend." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Nadege,  "  my  happiness  lasted  but  a  little 
while.  I  do  not  think  he  ever  really  loved  me.  I  gave 
my  whole  soul  to  him,  and  yet  I  always  felt  that  there 
was  something  between  us  ;  and  I  thought  to  myself,  if 
it  is  the  recollection  of  another  woman,  or  even  a  natural 
coldness,  it  must  melt  away  before  my  tenderness  and 
glowing  love.  Sometimes  he  would  seize  me  in  his  arms, 
press  me  to  his  heart,  with  such  tender,  loving  words  ! 
And  then  suddenly  he  would  relapse  into  a  state  of  per- 
fect indifference  ;  he  would  stare  in  front  of  him  without 
seeming  to  see  anything,  and  when  I  would  speak  to  him 
he  would  seem  not  to  hear  me.  I  always  thought  there  must 
be  some  woman  between  us,  some  woman  whom  he  could 
not -forget.  After  three  months,  he  was  away  a  great 
deal ;  he  said  he  went  to  the  Club,  and  as  he  came  home 
very  late,  he  had  a  separate  room  fitted  up  for  himself  in 
the  north  wing  of  the  house.  This  broke  my  heart,  and 
I  complained  of  it." 


A  RECRUIT.  103 


"You  were  wrong  there,"  said  Wanda.  "A  woman 
should  never  lower  herself  to  complain  when  she  discovers 
that  she  is  no  longer  loved." 

"  You  could  do  it — you  are  made  of  stone;  but  I " 

"  I  think  you  are  made  of  wax." 

"  I  cannot  do  as  you  do,"  continued  Nadege;  "  I  cried, 
and  there  was  a  scene.  Gradually  the  separation  was  so 
complete  that  I  did  not  see  him  once  in  three  weeks.  I 
went  to  see  you  several  times,  but  you  were  not  at  home, 
and  I  had  dignity  enough  not  to  confide  my  troubles  to 
any  one  else.  But  I  wanted  to  find  out  what  the  mean- 
ing of  it  all  was.  Three  days  ago,  when  Patti  and  Nic- 
olini  were  singing  at  the  theatre,  I  went.  I  was  in  one 
of  the  boxes,  and  could  not  well  be  seen.  Everyone  in 
society  was  there,  and  I  thought  that  I  would  possibly 
see  him  there,  in  company  with  the  person  who  had  taken 
him  away  from  me.  Sure  enough,  at  the  end  of  the  sec- 
ond act  he  appeared  with  quite  a  pretty  woman;  by  the 
way,  she  looked  like  you,  but  she  was  not  as  handsome." 

"  Ah!"  said  Wanda,  with  distended  nostrils. 

"  Yes,  she  had  your  eyes,  but  they  were  not  as  beauti- 
ful as  yours." 

"  Have  you  been  able  to  find  out  who  she  was?  " 

"Yes,  I  told  my  father,  and  he  went  to  the  police;  and 
I  found  out  that  she  was  a  Pole,  very  handsome,  but  as 
yet  little  known  in  the  demi-monde.  Stepane  met  her 
accidentally,  and  fell  in  love  with  her.  He  has  given  her 
a  superb  house,  carriages  and  horses,  and  for  three  weeks 
he  has  never  quitted  her  side,  even  receiving  his  friends 
at  this  woman's,  giving  entertainments,  and  doing  heaven 
knows  what.  However  large  his  fortune  may  be,  it  won't 
take  long  to  lose  it  in  the  way  he  is  going  on  now." 

"Well,  what  did  you  do?" 

"I  wrote  him  such  a  touching  letter  that  he  came  to  see 
me,  fell  at  my  feet  and  wept  bitterly.  But  when  I  asked 
him  why  he  did  not  come  back  to  me,  he  said:  '  If  I  only 
could.'  'Do  you  really  love  this  creature?'  I  cried. 
'No!  I  hate  her!'  he  answered.  'Then  what  is  the 
meaning  of  your  conduct?'  'Don't  ask  me,'  he  said; 


104:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

'it  is  a  madness;  lam  as  unhappy  as  you  are.'  'But,' 
said  I,  '  why  do  you  not  at  least  keep  up  some  appear- 
ance of  decency,  and  come  and  live  in  your  own  house?' 
'You  are  right,'  he  said,  'for  I  do  not  love  her  half  as 
much  as  I  do  you.  Let  me  alone,  and  I  promise  you  to 
live  here.'  I  promised  him.  This  morning  he  has  not 
left  the  house.  What  is  he  doing?  I  do  not  even  dare 
ask;  I  do  not  dare  cross  the  threshold  of  his  room.  Look 
at  me!  is  not  my  wretchedness  complete?" 

While  Nadege  was  talking,  Wanda  had  risen  and  had 
gone  towards  the  window,  where  she  stood  looking  out, 
as  if  to  conquer  or  conceal  her  feelings;  but  at  last,  hear- 
ing Nadege's  sobs,  she  sat  down  by  her  and  drawing  her 
friend's  head  towards  her,  she  soothed  her  as  one  soothes 
a  child  to  dispel  its  sorrows. 

"  Listen  to  me,  Nadege,"  said  Wanda.  "  I  have  loved, 
I  have  suffered,  and  yet  I  am  cured  and  happy.  Do  you 
really  wish  to  get  over  this  frantic  love  for  a  man  who 
does  not  care  for  you?" 

"I  do  not  know;  I  do  not  see  how  I  can  live  without 
my  love;  it  is  part  of  myself." 

"  Then  you  like  to  suffer?" 

"Oh!  no,  no!  but  there  is  nothing  that  can  give  me 
happiness  except  his  return  to  me." 

"  You  are  mistaken.     Any  violent  distraction — 

"Another  love?"  cried  Nadege,  indignantly.  "The 
sight  of  every  other  man  fills  me  with  disgust." 

"Yes,  I  mean  another  love;  but  not  love  for  man — the 
love  that  I  mean  is  a  higher,  nobler  love." 

"The  love  of  God?  I  don't  believe  any  longer  in 
anything." 

"Formerly,"  continued  Wanda,  "  heaven  and  the  clois- 
ter were  the  only  refuge  for  unhappy  human  beings;  but 
in  our  enlightened  century,  the  love  of  God  as  presented 
to  us  by  our  priests,  is  no  longer  the  highest  consolation. 
The  larger,  holier  love  of  humanity  has  replaced  in  my 
heart  the  love  of  God." 

"  Yes,  you  have  often  spoken  to  me  of  this  new  doctrine. 
It  is  well  enough  for  you,  with  your  mind,  but  I  am  only  a 
tender,  loving-hearted  woman." 


A   RECRUIT.  105 


"  The  heart  can  lead  one  to  these  doctrines  quite  as 
well  as  the  head.  It  is  the  heart  that  revolts  against  the 
injustice  of  the  world.  Have  you  never  thought  of  the 
mothers  that  have  no  bread  to  give  their  children?  of  the 
fathers,  sick  or  out  of  work,  who  cannot  support  their 
families?  Have  you  thought  of  the  innocent  men  who 
pass  their  whole  lives  in  gloomy,  icy  dungeons?  of  the 
brave  men  who  expiate  their  devotion  to  humanity  by 
working  in  the  mines,  or  by  a  long,  sad  ex il  5?  Can  any 
one  of  us  dare  to  seek  our  own  individual  happiness, 
when  so  many  are  wretched?  If  happiness  is  so  rare,  joint 
responsibility  becomes  a  necessary  social  law." 

"  Yes,  you  are  right.  What  you  say  is  true.  If  I 
could  bring  relief  to  all  those  sufferings,  I  might  forget 
my  own." 

"  In  these  days,"  continued  Wanda,  "we  can  no  longer 
stop  to  talk  about  human  misery.  We  must  act." 

"  Have  you  joined  those  horrible  socialists?" 

"  Those  horrible  socialists,  as  you  call  them,  would  abol- 
ish every  injustice,  every  social  horror." 

"  Are  you  really  a  socialist?  " 

"  Well,  you  may  call  me  what  you  please;  I  wish  the 
downfall  of  every  evil.  I  wish  a  society  in  which  liberty 
and  equality  shall  reign,  in  which  there  shall  be  a  more 
equal  division  of  labor  and  capital.  Now,  my  darling, 
your  chief  trouble  is  idleness.  If  your  mind  were  more 
occupied,  your  grief  would  not  be  so  poignant.  Once 
more,  tell  me,  do  you  really  want  something  to  take  you 
out  of  yourself?  " 

"  Yes,  I  will  give  myself  up  to  you.  I  will  try.  You 
can  do  with  me  what  you  choose." 

"  Can  1  depend  upon  you?" 

"  You  can  speak  to  me  with  as  much  safety  as  you 
could  to  the  dead." 

"Very  well,  dear  Nadege;  I  will  tell  you  that  there  is 
a  vast  conspiracy  on  foot  which  will  soon  embrace  the 
whole  of  Russia." 

"A  conspiracy  against  the  Emperor?"  cried  Nadege, 
in  great  alarm. 


106  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  It  is  not  so  much  against  the  Emperor  as  against  the 
Government.  We  wish  to  abolish  every  iniquity." 

"  Then,"  said  Nadege,  smiling,  "  you  will  have  to  do  a 
great  deal  in  Holy  Russia." 

"  See,  you  are  smiling  already." 

"  I  am  trying;"  but  at  the  same  time  she  wiped  away 
a  tear  that  glistened  on  her  long  lashes. 

"  Shall  I  come  for  you  this  evening  and  take  you  to 
my  club?" 

"Have  you  a  club?" 

"Yes,  women  and  men  go  there  together.  In  the 
society  that  we  are  trying  to  organize,  men  and  women 
have  the  same  rights,  the  same  freedom  to  develop  them- 
selves, and  for  the  same  quality  of  work  they  will  be  paid 
the  same  salary." 

" Do  you  want  to  make  me  work?" 

"  Don't  be  worried;  the  work  that  we  expect  from  you 
•will  not  soil  your  white  hands.  Well,  have  you  made 
up  your  mind  ?  Shall  I  come  for  you  this  evening?" 

"Yes." 

"  Suppose,"  said  Wanda,  "  I  take  you  with  me  now,  so 
as  not  to  leave  you  alone  with  your  sorrow  ?  " 

"No!  oh,  no!  "  said  Nadege;  "he  has  not  left  the 
house;  he  might  come  to  see  me.  I  would  rather  wait." 

"  You  are   wrong  to  wait;  come — believe  me." 

"  I  cannot." 

"Dear,  weak  creature,"  said  Wanda,  kissing  her;  "I 
have  an  idea:  I  want  to  see  your  husband  and  speak  to 
him,  and  try  to  make  him  come  to  his  senses." 

"  Oh,  yes  !  he  has  so  much  admiration  for  you,  per- 
haps he  will  listen  to  you." 

Wanda  kissed  her  friend  again,  told  Katia,  who  was 
outside  in  the  ante-chamber,  to  go  down  and  wait  for 
her  in  the  coupS,  and  then  she  bent  her  steps  towards  the 
apartments  occupied  by  Count  Litzanoff. 


THE  NEW  ROAD  TO  DAMASCUS.  107 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  NEW  EOAD  TO  DAMASCUS. 

COUNT  STEPANE  DANILOVITCH  LITZANOFF  was  still 
young,  and  wonderfully  beautiful. 

His  father,  General  Litzanoff,  had  married  a  Georgian, 
and  the  son  of  this  marriage  united  in  his  person  the 
beauties  of  both  races.  His  complexion  was  creamy- 
white;  his  eyes  black,  with  glints  of  emerald  light;  his 
nose  was  straight,  and  the  nostrils  quivered  with  every 
emotion;  his  fair  hair  curled  around  a  brow  broad  and 
lofty;  his  head,  haughtily  thrown  back,  his  graceful  but 
flexible  figure — all  told  a  rare  combination  of  strength 
and  weakness.  He  was  a  woman  and  a  Cossack. 

It  was  not  merely  his  physical  beauty  which  fascinated; 
he  had,  besides,  a  ready  wit,  brilliant  and  caustic,  with- 
out any  bitterness;  he  loved  the  good  and  the  beautiful; 
he  was  tender  towards  the  weak,  and  very  generous  with- 
out any  ostentation. 

He  was  a  sceptic,  as  are  so  many  in  Russia;  he  had 
cast  to  the  winds  every  prejudice  of  society;  he  had  sat- 
isfied his  every  caprice,  his  every  passion;  his  father 
adored  him,  and  ruined  him;  and  when,  at  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  he  married  Nadege,  he  was  a  thoroughly 
blasd  man. 

In  Paris,  where  he  had  lived  for  over  a  year,  and  at 
Petersburg,  he  had  acquired  the  reputation  of  being  a 
great  swell,  both  from  his  extravagance  and  from  his  ec- 
centricity. 

In  spite  of  all  this,  he  declared  that  he  was  never 
amused.  "  There  is,  as  it  were,"  he  remarked  to  a  friend, 
"  a  great  gulf  within  me  that  nothing  can  either  fill  or 
satisfy." 

When  Wanda  sent  up  her  card  he  was  stretched  out 
upon  an  immense  bear's  skin  that  he  had  had  thrown  down 
upon  the  floor.  The  beast  itself  had  been  killed  by  the 


108  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Count  in  the  forests  of  Finland,  and  it  required  courage 
to  kill  it.  He  wore  a  white  jacket  embroidered  in  gold 
thread  and  lined  with  astrakan.  It  opened  in  front  over 
a  red  silk  shirt  with  a  rolling  collar,  which  showed  off 
his  beautiful  white  throat  to  advantage.  His  trousers 
were  confined  at  the  waist  by  a  superb  Circassian  scarf. 

He  was  reading,  and  seemed  completely  absorbed  in 
his  book. 

When  he  read  Wanda's  name  on  the  card  he  shud- 
dered, first  flushing  deeply  and  then  growing  deadly  pale. 

Wanda,  who  was  very  pale  also,  stood  outside  the 
door,  and  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  Can  I  come  in  ?" 

For  a  moment  he  could  not  speak  ;  but  at  last  he 
replied:  "  Is  this  you,  Wanda  Petrowna  ?  Do  you  honor 
me  with  a  visit  ?  " 

Wanda,  entering  and  perceiving  his  agitation,  stood 
jusl  within  the  doorway,  as  she  answered : 

"Do  I  disturb  you?" 

"  Oh,  no,  no  !  " 

They  said  no  more;  their  voices  failed  them;  they 
could  hardly  see  one  another. 

Wanda  was  the  first  to  recover  her  self-possession. 

"  You  were  reading?  " 

"Yes,  a  book  of  which  I  am  passionately  fond,"  an- 
swered Litzanoff. 

"You  are  always.passionately  fond  of  something." 

"I  am  always  crazy  about  something  ;  but  excuse  me, 
do  sit  down." 

He  pushed  a  chair  towards  her,  but  he  himself  dared 
not  approach  her. 

Wanda  sat  down.  He  took  a  seat  far  away  from  her, 
upon  a  Turkish  divan. 

"Will  you  allow  me  to  ask  you  what  you  are  reading 
with  such  enthusiasm?" 

"  Oh,  you  will  think  I  am  insane." 

"  About  that,  dear  Count,"  said  Wanda  laughing,  "  my 
opinion  will  not  greatly  change." 

"  Yes,  that  is  true ;  my  reputation  is  made.  Well,  it  is 
one  of  these  socialist  books.  Some  time  ago  one  of  my 


THE  NEW  BOAD  TO  DAMASCUS.  109 

friends,  Andrew  Padlewsky,  brought  it  to  me  and  recom- 
mended me  to  read  it.  I  never  thought  about  it  until 
this  morning,  when  accidentally  I  came  across  it.  I  have 
read  it,  scarcely  stopping  to  take  breath.  I  am  already 
on  the  second  volume;  and  upon  my  word  I  am  almost  a 
socialist;  at  least  that  would  give  me  something  to  do." 

"You,  a  socialist?" 

"  Yes,  one  scamp  the  more  in  the  society." 

"  How  slightingly  you  speak  of  those  poor  fellows!" 

"  I  only  speak  of  them  as  everybody  else  does." 

"Everybody?" 

"  I  have  heard  that  you  take  up  for  them." 

"It  is  true,"  answered  Wanda,  "that  the  socialists  do 
attract  to  themselves  all  the  unhappy,  disinherited,  out- 
of-place  men  in  society.  But  did  not  Jesus  attract  the 
common  people  to  him?  I  have  heard  there  are  also 
many  rich,  influential  persons  who  have  devoted  them- 
selves entirely  to  the  cause." 

"  What  delights  me  in  this  book  is  its  analysis  of  men 
and  of  society;  its  criticisms  upon  the  civilization  of  which 
we  are  so  proud,  and  which  in  fact  is  nothing  but  a  filthy 
sewer." 

"  Bravo  !     Is  that  really  your  opinion  ?  " 

"It  is,  indeed  !  Yesterday  I  was  ashamed  of  myself. 
Nadege  has  told  you  everything,  hasn't  she?  " 

"Yes." 

"Well,  do  not  judge  me  too  severely,  Wanda  Pe- 
trowna,"  said  Stepane,  stifling  a  sigh. 

Wanda  was  silent.     Litzanoff  went  on  : 

"I  have  been  terribly  misunderstood; but  this  book 
shows  me  that  the  fact  of  there  being  so  many  misunder- 
stood natures  like  mine,  is  due  to  the  utterly  disorganized 
and  stupid  state  of  society." 

"  Very  good,"  said  Wanda,  approvingly. 

"  The  most  attractive  chapter  to  me,"  continued  Lit- 
zanoff, "was  the  one  that  criticized  the  Russian  social 
system,  containing  within  itself,  as  it  does,  every  vice 
and  every  crime  of  both  the  barbarous  and  the  civilized 
world." 


110  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

_— , 

"  In  fact,  we  are  a  pretty  people." 

"  It  makes  me  blush  to  be  a  Russian  !  Everywhera 
thieving1,  injustice,  cheating,  lying — all  consequences 
forced  upon  us  by  the  Asiatic  despotism  under  which  we 
live.  The  whole  social  system  must  be  rebuilt  from  its 
very  foundations." 

"  That  is  what  I  think." 

"And  the  people  are  starving;  and  it  is  ridiculous  to 
say  that  they  are  bad,  that  their  instincts  are  rebellious, 
when  all  they  have  to  do  is  to  rise  and  conquer  us — for 
they  are  a  hundred  million  to  our  one  million.  The  truth 
is,  they  are  a  patient  race;  they. work  and  they  groan  all 
their  life  long;  th  y  give  the  sweat  of  their  brow  and  their 
life's  blood  for  us,  and  what  do  we  give  them  in  return  ? 
Blows.  They  have  put  up  with  it  for  centuries,  and  per- 
haps they  will  go  on  putting  up  with  it — this  good  people, 
this  sheepish  people,  this  stupid  people." 

Litzanoff  was  magnificent  as  he  thus  spoke.  He  looked 
like  an  untamed  horse  with  dilating  nostril,  and  fiery, 
fierce  eyes. 

Wanda  gazed  at  him,  rendered  speechless  by  her  admi- 
ration. 

"You  are  on  the  point  of  becoming  a  nihilist,"  she 
said. 

"From  this  moment  I  am  one.  We  must  overturn 
this  worm-eaten  edifice,  and  build  another  upon  a  new, 
logical,  righteous  basis." 

"Above  all,"  said  Wanda,  "  let  us  prevent  this  hideous 
industrial  feudal  system,  as  baleful  in  its  influence  as  the 
old  feudal  system,  from  getting  a  foothold  in  Russia.  We 
must  give  the  means  of  work  to  the  workman  himself." 

"  Why, "  said  Litzanoff,  "  are  you  a     nihilist?  " 

"  Yes,  dear  friend,  I  am." 

"Are  you  an  associate  of  any  secret  society." 

"  There  is  none;  but  I  am  in  the  very  thick  of  the  con- 
spiracy." 

"  Is  there  a  conspiracy? "exclaimed  Stepane,  "  and  I 
not  in  it?  Wanda,  will  you  enroll  me,  and  take  me  as 
the  most  ardent  of  your  disciples,  the  most  fearless  of 
your  apostles?  Tell  me,  will  you?  " 


THE  NEW  ROAD  TO  DAMASCUS.  Ill 

"And,  if  it  is  necessary,  will  you  sacrifice  your  life? 
Will  you  run  the  risk  of  being  exiled?" 

"  Everything,  everything!  It  seems  to  me  that  a  new 
existence  opens  before  me.  My  empty,  weary  life  will 
have  some  aim.  Ah!  if  you  did  but  know  what  a  real 
service  you  are  doing  me!  " 

"  And  I  hope  I  am  doing  something  for  Nadege,  too. 
Promise  me,  won't  you,  to  love  her  as  she  deserves  to  be 
loved?" 

"  Yes,  as  a  tender,  charming  child." 

"She  loves  you  so  dearly,  and  you  are  not  good  to 
her." 

"  Wanda  Petrowna,  tell  me  what  the  nihilists  think 
about  love  and  marriage." 

"  Does  not  your  book  teach  you  that?  " 

"  My  book  says: '  Every  true  feeling  is  lawful,  but  every 
union  not  based  upon  perfect  sincerity  is  degrading. ' " 

"  Well,  if  you  did  not  love  her,  why  did  you  marry 
her?" 

Litzanoff  looked  down,  overwhelmed  with  shame. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  heard,"  he  said,  "  of  my  wild 
youth.  The  first  time  that  I  saw  Nadege,  her  fair  face, 
her  childlike  grace,  her  goodness,,  her  sweet,  tender 
eyes,  all  went  to  my  heart,  and  I  resolved  to  marry  her. 
I  was  tired  of  my  existence.  I  wanted  to  try  and  lead  a 
quiet,  decent,  honest  life.  I  hoped  a  sort  of  regeneration 
from  this  new  love.  I  wanted  rest,  and  I  thought  I 
would  find  it  with  Nadege." 

"And " 

"  And  the  very  day  of  my  marriage  I  saw  a  woman  for 
the  first  time  who  embodied  in  herself  every  perfection. 
Her  beauty  was  but  the  reflection  of  a  great  mind  and  a 
large  heart.  Her  eyes — I  can  never  forget  them — never; 
they  follow  me,  they  eat  into  my  soul — they  madden 
me.  I  wanted  to  love  Nadege,  but  those  eyes  are  always 
between  me  and  her.  I  found  a  woman  who  looked  like 
her;  but  although  her  eyes  were  of  the  same  color,  the 
same  shape,  they  had  not  the  same  effect  upon  me.  For 
eight  days  I  tried  to  delude  myself,  but  after  that  the  vul- 


112  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

gar  creature  disgusted  me.  Then  I  took  to  gambling,  to 
racing,  to  hunting  in  the  wild  woods;  this  bear's  skin 
nearly  cost  me  my  life.  Life!  you  ask  me  if  I  would  give 
it  for  a  great  work.  I  would  give  it  for  nothing." 

He  buried  his  head  in  his  hands. 

Wanda  said  not  a  word,  lest  her  voice  should  betray 
her  emotion. 

He  raised  his  head,  and  his  gaze  met  Wanda's.  It  was 
like  an  electric  shock. 

Wanda  looked  down.  The  sigh  that  burst  from  Step- 
ane  was  like  a  hollow  groan. 

"  Wanda!  "  he  cried. 

"Stepane  Danilovitch!"  she  said,  in  a  sad,  haughty 
tone. 

"Forgive  me,  forgive  me!"  and  he  threw  himself  at 
her  feet.  Tears  glittered  in  his  eyes,  and  Wanda,  over- 
come by  this  terrible  love,  fell  back  in  her  arm-chair. 

Stepane  stretched  out  his  trembling  hands. 

Irresistibly  drawn  towards  him,  she  leaned  forward, 
when  suddenly  feeling  her  weakness,  she  drew  herself  up 
with  dignity  and  murmured:  "  It  is  impossible." 

«  Oh,  why?  " 

"  Justice  and  loyalty — they  are  true  morality.  Good- 
bye." 

She  arose  to  leave  the  room,  when  Litzanoff  rushed 
towards  the  door  and  stood  in  her  way. 

This  aroused  all  Wanda 's  pride.  "  What  do  you 
mean?"  she  said. 

"  Nothing.     I  only  implore  you  to — " 

"  Let  me  pass." 

"  I  must  speak  to  you  or  die." 

"  Let  me  pass,"  repeated  Wanda,  who  felt  her  feelings 
getting  the  mastery  over  her. 

"  If  you  leave  this  room  without  listening  to  me,"  said 
Stepane,  drawing  out  a  little  dagger,  "  I  shall  be  dead 
before  you  reach  the  bottom  of  the  stairs,  and  you  will 
be  my  murderer! " 

His  accent,  his  gesture,  were  so  determined  -that 
Wanda  trembled. 


THE  NEW  ROAD  TO  DAMASCUS.  113 

"Well!  what  have  you  to  say  to  me?  What  do  you 
want  with  me?" 

"  One  word  from  you,  one  only;  tell  me  that — that 
you  love  me!"  / 

"  No,"  answered  Wanda. 

"Is  it  really  no?" 

"  It  is  really  no." 

"  And  you  forbid  me  to  love  you?  " 

"  Yes." 

"Absolutely?" 

"  Absolutely." 

"  THat  is  all  that  I  wanted  to  know." 

He  drew  aside  from  the  door  to  allow  her  to  pass. 

His  face  wore  such  a  terrible  expression  that  Wanda 
stopped. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"  What  difference  does  that  make  to  you?  " 

"  Stepane,  my  brother . . . . " 

He  said  not  a  word. 

"  I  will  not  leave  you  until  you  tell  me  all  your  heart." 

"  By  God,  I  am  going  to  kill  myself !  Would  you 
rather  have  me  go  mad?  I  have  been  struggling  for  two 
years — I  cannot  stand  it  any  longer." 

"Your  wife,  Stepane!     Poor  Nadege!  " 

"She  will  be  unhappy;  but  she  is  only  a  child;  she  will 
soon  get  over  it — but  as  for  me — " 

"  You  have  just  determined  to  join  the  .nihilists.  Will 
you  give  that  idea  up  so  soon?  "  • 

"  Oh,  I  know  that  after  the  first  blush  of  enthusiasm 
has  passed  away,  I  shall  soon  fall  back  into  my  old  state 
of  despair.  If  I  were  upheld  by  a  great  love,  perhaps  I 
might  do  something." 

"  Well,  then,  Stepane,  for  the  sake  of  my  love,  serve 
the  cause  of  humanity." 

She  laid  her  hand  in  his.  "We  can  have  a  noble  pure 
affection  for  one  another;  I  give  you  mine,  and  I  desire 
yours — promise  it  to  me." 

"1  do!"  cried  Stepane,  in  perfect  ecstacy.     "Tell  me, 
what  shall  I  do?" 
8 


114  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

'  At  present,  go  see  Nadege,  who  is  waiting  anxiously 
for  you.  I  have  brought  her  over  to  the  cause.  I  will 
come  and  dine  with  you  at  six  o'clock,  and  after  dinner  I 
can  drive  you  to  my  club." 

"Can  I  go  in  that  way,  without  any  preliminaries?  " 

"  The  clubs  are  not  secret  societies.  It  is  only  neces- 
sary to  know  who  you  are;  and  as  I  answer  for  you, 
you  will  be  cordially  received." 

Stepane  conducted  the  Princess  to  her  carriage. 

Nadege  was  watching  them  from  her  window.  Wanda 
nodded  to  her,  and  said  to  the  Count: 

"Nadege  is  waiting  for  you.  Go,  tell  her  I  shall  be 
back  before  long." 

"  I  will  obey  you  blindly,"  answered  Stepane,  sighing 
deeply. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE    PURSUIT    OP   THE    NIHILISTS. 

"  WE  are  watched,"  said  Katia  to  her  friend,  as  she 
got  into  the  coupe. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  the  same  man  pass  by  the  house  twice. 
There  he  is,  in  that  sled,  getting  ready  to  follow  us." 

"  Do  you  really  think  so  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure  of.it." 

Wanda  looked  around,  and  saw  the  sled  following 
them  at  a  little  distance. 

"  He  has  not  horses  like  mine,"  she  said,  and  lowering 
the  glass,  she  called  out  to  the  coachman  : 

"  Make  haste,  drive  fast  as  you  can  past  Mestchauskai'a, 
Perspective,  Newsky,  and  the  quays.  We  will  give  this 
gentleman  a  little  trot." 

The  horses  flew.  It  was  three  o'clock,  and  they  were 
beginning  to  light  the  lamps,  for  at  three  o'clock  in  Jan- 
uary it  is  dark  at  Petersburg. 


THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  NIHILISTS.  115 

In  less  than  five  minutes  they  had  distanced  the  hired 
sled  ;  but  what  was  their  astonishment  when  they  sud- 
denly perceived  it  standing  at  the  corner  of  the  English 
Quay! 

Evidently  this  man  was  a  spy,  who  knew  where  Prin- 
cess Kryloff  lived. 

Wanda  found  her  father  waiting  for  her  in  her  boudoir. 

"  Where  do  you  come  from  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"From  some  place  where  I  went  to  enjoy  my  liberty," 
answered  Wanda,  haughtily. 

"  Who  went  with  you  ?" 

«  Katia." 

"  What  is  this  girl  ?  a    nihilist  ?" 

"  This  girl,  as  you  call  her,  is  worthy  of  my  confidence. 
This  morning  I  have  told  her  that  she  shall  be  my  aman- 
uensis, or  rather  my  companion.  Father,  you  seem  to 
have  forgotten  our  agreement." 

"  If  this  is  to  be 'the  way  of  it,  it  cannot  last,"  broke 
out  the  Prince  in  a  rage,  which  he  strove  in  vain  to  re- 
press. "  It  is  my  duty  to  watch  over  you,  and  to  know 
what  you  are  after." 

"  For  this  one  time  I  can  tell  you,"  answered  Wanda  ; 
"  I  have  just  been  to  see  Nadege  Litzanoff.  But  if  at  some 
future  time  it  should  suit  me  not  to  tell  you  where  I  have 
been,  your  questions  would  force  me  to  lie.  Would  it 
not  be  better  for  your  dignity,  as  well  as  mine,  that  you 
should  refrain  from  questioning  me?" 

The  Prince  walked  up  and  down  the  room  with  hurried 
steps. 

Suddenly,  throwing  a  large  roll  of  bank-notes  upon  the 
table,  he  exclaimed:  "Here  are  the  twenty-five  thousand 
roubles  I  promised  you.  Am  I  to  know,  at  least,  where 
this  money  is  going  to?  " 

"If  I  am  to  keep  an  expense  account,  I  would  rather 
have  you  keep  the  money." 

Wanda  looked  at  her  father;  she  saw  the  veins  swell- 
ing in  his  forehead,  and  she  knew  what  that  meant.  But 
she  was  determined  she  would  give  up  nothing. 

The  Prince,  recognizing  her  temper,  continued  more 
gently: 


116  ]A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Chabert  and  I  had  an  interview  with  the  minister; 
everything  is  going  on  very  well.  You  are  satisfied  with 
me  in  this  matter,  are  you  not?  and  in  return,  will  you 
not  grant  me  a  little  favor?" 

"What  is  it?" 

"  To  spend  this  evening  with  me." 

"Oh!  that  is  impossible." 

"Why?" 

"  I  am  not  going  to  dine  at  home." 

**  Very  well,"  cried  out  the  Prince,  completely  losing 
control  of  himself  ;  "  I  cannot  accustom  myself  to  allow 
you  to  go  out  alone  day  and  night,  whenever  you  think 
fit." 

Wanda  listened  to  this  new  outburst  with    calmness. 

"Do  you  know  what  is  said  of  you?"  continued  the 
Prince?  "I  have  just  heard  it  from  a  friend  of  Tre- 
poff — they  say  you  are  a  socialist,  a  Nihilist,  a  con- 
spirator ;  and  all  this  mystery  looks'  very  much  like  it. 
If  I  only  knew — " 

"Well!" 

"That  in  my  house,  my  daughter  was  plotting  against 
the  Emperor;  if  I  thought  that  you  had  the  least  inter- 
course with  these  bandits,  these  thieves,  these  assassins, 
I — I — would  renounce  you  forever;  I  would  give  you 
up  to  the  authorities.  Yes,  yes,  examples  must  be 
made,  or  this  pestilence  will  infect  the  whole  of  Rus- 
sia, and  society  will  be  entirely  overturned." 

Wanda  saw  her  danger.  If  she  were  discovered 
everything  would  be  discovered.  She  must  rea'ssure 
her  father  and  take  away  all  suspicion  from  him  for  the 
future.  She  hated  a  lie,  but  now  it  had  become  a 
duty.  All  things  are  fair  in  war,  and  surely  war  had 
been  declared,  as  she  was  dogged  and  openly  de- 
nounced. 

Laughing  gaily,  she  said  :  "  Is  this  the  cause  of  your 
anger?  Is  the  police  so  hard  run  that  it  must  needs 
attack  the  young  girls  of  noble  birth?  But  how  could 
I  have  given  them  cause  to  accuse  me?  Ah!  I  remem- 
ber. Last  night  at  the  ball  I  was  talking  about  Nihilism 


THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  NIHILISTS.  117 

with  Verenine.  We  were  laughing  at  something,  and  I 
said  that  if  socialism  could  deliver  us  from  these  official 
gatherings  where  we  are  nearly  crushed  to  death  it  would 
render  society  a  great  benefit ;  and  he  told  me  about  an 
address  that  the  Emperor  had  received  from  a  pretended 
Revolutionary  Committee.  There  was  a  gentleman 
watching  us.  I  refused  to  dance  with  him.  I  wager  he 
was  a  spy.  But  I  assure  you,  father,  I  am  not  a  social- 
ist. What  earthly  benefit  could  accrue  to  me  from  the 
overturn  of  society?  I  would  have  to  lose  my  senses  be- 
fore I  could  become  a  socialist ;  and  you  certainly  do  not 
think  me  insane  as  yet." 

Kryloff  knew  his  daughter,  her  independence  of  thought, 
her  perfect  horror  of  a  lie.  This  avowal  of  hers  set  his 
mind  at  rest. 

"  That  is  just  what  I  said  myself ;  but  why  is  there  this 
constant  mystery  about  your  actions?  Tell  me,  for  in- 
stance, where  are  you  going  to  dine  to-day?" 

"  I  am  going  to  take  dinner  at  the  Litzanoffs." 

"But  you  have  just  come  from  there." 

"  Yes,  I  went  to  make  peace  between  Nadege  and  her 
husband  ;  we  dine  together,  and  then  we  are  going  to  the 
theatre." 

"And  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  this  money?  If 
I  thought  that  it  was  going  to  pass  into  the  hands  of  the 
conspirators  ..." 

"I  can  only  say  what  I  have  already  said;  do  not 
question  me  any  more.  I  want  to  found  a  Home  for 
Orphans.  For  the  very  reason  that  I  hate  the  socialists,  and 
in  order  to  escape  the  consequences  of  a  revolution,  we 
who  are  rich,  idle  and  happy,  ought  to  busy  ourselves  in 
taking  care  of  the  distressed,  and  in  trying  to  ameliorate 
their  condition." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  this  before?" 

*•  Because  you  opposed  me  so  in  my  efforts  to  found 
those  schools  in  the  Ukraine." 

"  The  reason  of  that  was  that  I  do  not  agree  with  you. 
The  more  you  educate  the  lower  classes,  the  more  you 
better  their  condition,  the  more  do  you  develop  in  them 


118  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

hatred  of  their  superiors.  They  are  a  race  of  slaves,  a 
vile  lot,  who  can  only  be  ruled  by  the  knout.  Look  at 
the  results  of  the  emancipation  :  The  ruin  of  the  nobility, 
the  ruin  of  agriculture,  and  general  misery." 

"  Those  are  not  my  views — please  allow  me  to  act  ac- 
cording to  my  convictions." 

"  I  passed  over  your  fancy  for  the  schools.  I  will  do 
the  like  with  this  fancy  for  a  Home.  Just  now  liberalism 
is  the  rage;  it  is  the  fashion,  and  women  are  the  slaves  of 
fashion.  However,  do  not  ruin  me  with  your  follies,  for 
it  is  money  put  to  very  bad  account." 

"My  follies!  let  me  enjoy  them;  the  illusions  of  youth 
last  but  a  little  while." 

"  But  still,  these  very  follies  give  color  to  the  accusa- 
tions brought  against  you." 

"  I-  can  always  disprove  them  easily  enough.  Naughty 
father,  don't  let  us  have  any  more  of  these  scenes." 

"  Spoilt  child,"  sighed  the  Prince,  "  you  know  that  I 
always  give  up  to  you.  I  wanted  to  look  over  the  list  of 
invitations  with  you  this  evening,  and  add  a  few  names 
to  it,  Prince  Stackelberg's  among  others." 

"Very  well!  to-morrow  morning  we  can  do  it.  I  will 
help  you  with  your  ball,  if  you  will  help  me  with  my 
Home." 

"  I  wish  the  ball  to  be  a  success,"  said  the  Prince. 

"  Then  invite  the  officers  and  the  generals.  I  noticed 
last  night  what  a  brilliant  effect  the  military  decorations 
produced." 

Wanda  was  thinking  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  if 
she  could  make  some  recruits  in  the  army. 

"  What  is  this  sudden  fancy  that  you  have  taken  for  the 
soldiers?  " exclaimed  the  Prince.  "You,  who  have  al- 
ways expressed  such  hatred  for  war  and  everything  be- 
longing to  it  1  But  you  are  right,  and  I  will  think  it 
over." 

"  Adieu,"  said  Wanda,  "  I  must  dress  myself." 

She  went  to  her  own  room.  Once  there,  she  fell  into 
a  chair,  overcome  with  fatigue.  Not  only  had  the  strug- 
gle with  her  father  exhausted  her,  but  also  her  interview 
with  Stepane  Litzanoff. 


THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  NIHILISTS.  119 

"  What  is  there  about  this  man  to  move  me  so?"  she 
thought.  "  I  always  suspected  that  he  loved  me,  but 
what  is  this  feeling  that  I  have  for  him?  I  will  not  allow 
it  to  be  love — no,  I  will  not." 

And  leaning  her  pale  face  against  the  back  of  the 
chair,  she  thought  of  Stepane. 

The  first  time  she  met  Count  Litzanoff  was  on  the  day 
of  his  marriage  with  Nadege;  she  had  been  struck  by  his 
singular  beauty,  and  by  his  original  and  independent 
mind.  She  felt  herself  irresistibly  drawn  towards  this 
being,  so  refined  and  yet  so  untamed.  Every  time  that 
she  met  him  the  impression  deepened.  She  saw  her 
danger,  and  gradually  she  stopped  going  to  visit  Nadege; 
and  she  had  thrown  herself  into  this  revolutionary  move- 
ment, chiefly  to  escape  from  the  effect  of  the  sudden 
and  violent  feeling  that  threatened  to  take  possession  of 
her.  In  socialism,  she  had  found  an  all-absorbing  inter- 
est. Raymond  Chabert  had  also  interested  her;  she 
even  felt  a  sort  of  tenderness  for  him,  that  she  thought 
at  one  time  might  culminate  in  love.  But  this  feeling 
was  nothing  in  comparison  to  the  one  that  a  single 
glance  from  Litzanoff  awakened  in  her;  and  still  she  felt 
much  more  confidence  in  Raymond  than  in  Stepane. 

Now  she  strove  to  analyze  these  two  sentiments, 
although  still  so  upset  by  her  inteview  with  Litzanoff  that 
she  could  not  clearly  see  into  her  own  heart.  Litzanoff's 
love  seized  her  as  with  magnetic  power;  but  it  also 
caused  her  a  sort  of  uneasy,  frightened  remorse.  Ray- 
mond's love,  on  the  contrary,  did  not  take  her  by  storm, 
but  it  inspired  her  with  boundless  confidence;  his  ten- 
der but  timid  admiration,  his  entire  devotion,  melted  her 
heart. 

"After  all,"  she  said,  rising  to  her  feet,  "what  does  it 
matter?  I  owe  myself  entirely  to  the  cause  I  have  em- 
braced." 

She  called  Katia  and  asked  for  a  light. 

"  Make  haste,  Katia,  and  dress  yourself  in  one  of  my 
dresses — in  future  you  are  to  be  my  lady's  companion." 

But  Katia  answered,  hardly  noticing  her  sudden  rise 
in  rank: 


120  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"We  certainly  are  watched;  I  just  saw  that  sled 
again.  I  sent  Fedor  to  look;  arid  he  recognized  Popoff, 
whom  the  Prince  discharged  last  month." 

"Is  he  sure  of  that?" 

"  Yes,  and  it  frightens  me,  for  that  Popoff  is  a  thorough 
scoundrel,  capable  of  anything.  He  has  probably  told 
the  police  about  the  trips  we  have  been  taking  at  night." 

"Indeed;"  said  Wanda,  "then  war  is  really  declared." 

She  then  told  Katia  of  her  conversation  with  her  fa- 
ther, and  of  the  accusation  that  was  hanging  over  her. 

"  The  police  have  their  eye  on  us,"  she  added,  "  but 
we  shall  find  means  to  throw  them  off  the  track.  As  we 
are  going  to  the  Litzanoffs'  house,  who  are  certainly  not 
suspected,  we  may  allow  ourselves  to  be  followed;  then 
about  nine  o'clock,  we  can  dress  up  two  of  the  maids  in 
our  hats  and  cloaks  and  send  them  back  in  the  coupe". 
Then  after  they  are  gone,  we  and  the  Litzanoffs  can  pay 
our  intended  visit  to  Padlewsky." 

"Very  well.  We  may  escape  this  time,  but  after  this 
how  shall  we  be  able  to  hold  intercourse  with  our  friends? 
This  is  a  permanent  danger,  not  only  for  us,  but  for 
them." 

Wanda  seemed  lost  in  thought;  suddenly  she  cried 
out:  "Eureka!  I  will  seize  the  bull  by  the  horns;  I  will 
get  my  father  to  take  me  to  see  General  Trepoff." 

"Well,  what  will  you  say  to  him?" 

"I  will  complain  of  being  suspected  by  the  Govern- 
ment that  my  father  has  always  loyally  served;  I  will 
complain  of  being  watched;  I  will  invite  him  to  our  ball," 
and  she  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Go  on." 

"  I  will  fascinate  him.     Isn't  that  an  original  idea?" 

"Charming!  But  take  care,  it  is  dangerous  to  play 
with  fire." 

Katia  Lawinska  had  an  energetic  countenance;  her 
large  head,  high  cheek  bones,  deep  color,  dark  brown 
hair,  small,  bluish-gray  eyes,  deep-set  and  far-seeing,  her 
unbending  figure,  her  careless  dress — all  these  told  of  a 
strong,  unyielding  character.  And  yet,  if  she  had  been 


THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  NIHILISTS.  121 

more  becomingly  attired,  she  might  have  passed  for  a 
pretty  \yoinan. 

When  she  had  put  on  the  costume  that  belonged  to 
Wanda,  it  worked  a  complete  transformation  in  her. 

"You  see  you  are  not  ugly,"  said  Wanda  to  her;  "it 
is  only  your  frightful  Nihilist  clothes  that  make  you  look 
so." 

"  I  dress  myself  in  that  way  as  a  protest  against  female 
vanity.  Immoderate  love  of  dress  ruins  women.  So  that 
their  bodies  are  adorned,  they  are  utterly  indifferent  to 
the  embellishment  of  their  minds  and  of  their  souls." 

"And  still,"  answered  Wanda,  "I  think  Padlewsky  is 
right;  the  love  of  luxury  is  innate  in  human  nature,  above 
all  in  woman's  nature;  we  can  never  get  rid  of  it,  and  it 
is,  after  all,  a  sociable  trait." 

"  Just  at  this  time,"  answered  Katia,  "  when  the  com- 
mon people  are  clothed  in  rags,  our  luxury  seems  to  me 
an  outrage  on  their  misery." 

They  went  out. 

The  istvostchick  *  was  still  in  the  sled,  watching  the 
house.  He  followed  the  coupe",  which,  far  from  flying 
along,  as  it  had  done  in  the  afternoon,  drove  quietly  to 
the  Litzanofi's. 

Wanda  found  Nadege  happy,  radiant  with  delight. 

"  There  is  no  one  but  you  that  can  perform  such  mira- 
cles," said  the  young  wife,  throwing  her  arms  around  her 
friend's  neck. 

Wanda  held  out  her  hand  to  Stepane,  and  she  felt  how 
his  trembled. 

"  Stepane  and  I,"  said  Nadege,  "  have  become  out-and- 
out  nihilists.  We  will  follow  you  anywhere,  even  to 
Siberia.  Will  we  not,  Stepane?" 

"To  the  end  of   the  world,"  he  answered. 

"  Very  well,  dear  friends;  I  shall  at  once  put  your  sin- 
cerity to  the  proof.  I  have  brought  my  maid  with  me, 
whom  I  look  upon  as  a  friend;  forwe  democrats  know  no 
rank,  no  state  of  servitude,  no  caste.  She  is  as  devoted 
as  I  am  to  the  cause,  and  I  want  you  to  invite  her  to  dine 
with  us  at  your  table." 

•Hired  sled-driver.  "  •"" 


122  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"Indeed,"  said  Nadege,  laughing,  "this  is  an  unex- 
pected proof.  To  admit  a  servant-girl  to  my  table,  how- 
ever devoted  she  may  be  to  socialism,  is  a  height  of  de- 
mocracy to  which  I  have  not  altogether  attained.  If  you 
wish  it,  she  shall  not  eat  with  the  other  servants;  I  will 
have  her  served  by  herself." 

"  But  if  you  were  to  go  to  Siberia,  could  you  pick  your 
society?" 

"But  we  haven't  gone  there  yet.  What  do  you  think 
about  it,  Stepane?" 

"  Well,  if  Wanda,  who  is  of  higher  rank  than  we  are, 
does  not  think  it  beneath  her  to  dine  with  this  person,  we 
should  be  very  wrong  to  show  ourselves  more  hard  to 
please  than  she  is." 

Wanda  rewarded  the  Count  for  this  condescension 
with  a  loving  glance.  He  was  one  of  the  most  aristo- 
cratic men  in  Russia,  and  she  knew  what  those  words 
must  cost  him. 

"  It  was  only  a  proof  of  your  earnestness,  dear  friends. 
But  your  repugnance  will  soon  disappear." 

And,  telling  them  Katia's  story  in  a  few  words,  she 
opened  the  door  and  called  her. 

"Come  here,  dear;  here  are  two  new  socialists  who 
want  to  know  you." 

At  the  sight  of  this  distinguished  young  girl,  who  en- 
tered with  perfect  ease  of  manner,  Nadege  held  out  her 
hand,  and  Stepane  bowed. 

The  dinner  was  very  gay. 

At  eight  o'clock  they  sent  Nadege's  two  maids  back  in 
the  coupe,  and  the  four  friends  went  together  in  an  ordi- 
nary hack  to  Padlewsky's. 

"  Plotting  is  very  amusing,  is  it  not?"  said  Wanda. 

"  With  you,  above  all,  dear  Princess,"  answered  Step- 
ane. 

"  The  words  prince  and  princess,  and  count  and  count- 
ess," cried  out  Katia,  "  are  absolutely  prohibited  in  our 
vocabulary." 

They  got  out  of  the  hack  at  the  New  Perspective.  But 
what  was  their  dismay  in  seeing  behind  them  the  sled 


THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  NIHILISTS.  123 

that  they  thought  had  followed  the  two  maids  in  the 
coupe!  How  had  the  scoundrel  found  out  their  trick? 

"  The  girls  must  have  spoken  to  one  another  as  they 
got  into  the  carriage,  and  Popoff  knows  Wanda's  voice 
and  mine  perfectly  well,"  explained  Katia. 

"  We  must  rid  ourselves  of  him,  anyhow,"  said  Litz- 
anoff.  "  In  time  of  war  spies  are  killed;"  and  he  drew 
out  a  little  dagger. 

"Oh!  not  here,  in  the  open  street,  at  nine  o'clock  in  the 
evening,"  exclaimed  Wanda — "all  the  police  watching 
us,  and  everybody  passing  up  and  down  the  street." 

"  I  can  strike  him  before  he  has  time  to  move." 

"  It  would  be  too  dangerous,"  said  Wanda. 

"  Less  dangerous  than  to  allow  him  to  follow  us,"  ob- 
served Katia.  "  He  is,  besides,  a  scoundrel  capable  of 
any  crime." 

"  Kill  a  man,  shed  his  blood!  "  exclaimed  Nadege  in 
terror. 

"  We  must  buy  him  off,"  said  Wanda.  "  Have  you 
enough  money  about  you?" 

"  I  have  a  few  bank  notes." 

He  went  up  to  the  isvostchick. 

"  Popoff ! "  he  called. 

The  fellow,  who  had  no  notion  he  was  discovered, 
bounded  upon  his  seat. 

"  Come  down,  I  want  to  speak  to  you." 

He  came  down. 

"  How  much  do  they  pay  you  for  following  us  ?  " 

"But  I...." 

"  No  buts,  answer  me!" 

"  I  assure  you,  your  Excellency. ..." 

"I  know  you;  if  you  do  not  answer  me  at  once  I  will 
have  you  arrested  by  the  police,  for  the  money  you  stole 
from  Prince  Kryloff.  How  much  will  you  take  for  lying 
to  the  men  that  employ  you?" 

"  Fifty  silver  roubles." 

"Well,  here  are  a  hundred;  and  see  to  it  that  you  do 
not  come  again  in  my  way,  for  if  you  do,  it  will  not  be 
roubles  that  you  will  get,  you  scapegrace." 


124  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Popoff  leaped  to  his  seat,  whipped  up  his  horse,  and 
drove  off  quickly  towards  the  Neva. 

Then  the  four  friends  disappeared  down  a  narrow  lane 
which  led  into  a  larger  street,  built  up,  as  are  all  the 
streets  in  Petersburg,  by  handsome  houses  and  miserable 
shanties  standing  side  by  side. 

They  rang  a  bell  at  No.  11,  mounted  two  flights  of 
stairs,  and  knocked  at  a  door,  which  opened  instantly. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

DESCENT    OF   THE  POLICE. 

THEY  entered  quite  a  large  hall  and  asked  for  Pad- 
lewsky. 

They  were  instantly  introduced  into  a  room  in  which  a 
dozen  persons  were  playing  cards. 

Andrew  Padlewsky  came  forward  to  meet  them.  He 
pressed  Wanda's  hand. 

"  I  bring  you  two  fervent  neophytes,"  she  said. 

Padlewsky  started,  as  he  recognized  Litzanoff  and 
Nadege. 

"  What! "  cried  he,  "  this  naughty  boy,  this  terrible 
sceptic,  has  he  found  out  the  truth  at  last?" 

"  Here  is  our  truth,  our  beacon-light!  "  answered  Litz- 
anoff, pointing  to  Wanda. 

"  There  are  about  fifty  of  us  here,  already,"  continued 
Padlewsky,  "  but  I  think  we  shall  have  a  hundred  to- 
night, for  there  is  to  be  a  very  important  discussion." 

"  Where  are  your  friends?"  asked  Litzanoff.  "This 
room  fitted  up  with  card- tables,  and  wax  candles,  and 
shades  for  protecting  the  eyes,  does  not  look  much  like  a 
place  for  a  political  meeting." 

"  This  respectable  drawing-room  is  only  intended  to 
foil  the  police.  The  meeting  is  not  held  in  this  house,  it 


DESCENT  OF  THE  POLICE.  125 

is  next  door.  You  came  in  at  No.  11,  which  has  two  en- 
trances; you  could  also  have  entered  at  No.  15,  which 
has  two  entrances;  but  the  meeting  is  at  No.  13.  All 
three  houses  belong  to  us.  We  make  the  dvoraiks 
drunk  whenever  we  have  a  meeting;  they  do  not  suspect 
anything.  Besides,  we  have  friends  who  watch  for  us, 
stationed  at  all  the  doors.  You  see  these  four  bells;  they 
answer  to  the  four  principal  doors.  At  the  least  alarm  a 
bell  warns  us  of  our  danger,  and  we  instantly  go  out  by 
the  other  entrances.  These  four  bells  are  under  the  care 
of  men  whom  I  can  trust  as  myself.  Every  time  we  meet, 
they  change  their  costume.  To-night  they  are  disguised 
as  deceatekys;*  sometimes  they  appear  as  istvostchicks, 
and  then  they  wait  outside  in  a  droschka  or  a  sled." 

"  It  is  all  very  well  arranged,"  said  Litzanoff;  "  but 
among  a  hundred  people,  how  can  you  be  sure  that  one 
will  not  betray  you  ?  " 

"  We  very  seldom  meet  together  here.  The  persons 
that  are  allowed  to  enter  are  perfectly  safe.  Their  posi- 
tion, or  their  fortune,  or  their  antecedents  place  them 
above  all  suspicion,  or  above  any  corruption  from  the  po- 
lice. We  know  them,  and  we  answer  for  them,  as  Wanda 
Kryloff  does  for  you.  You  may  be  perfectly  easy,  as  far 
as  that  goes." 

Just  then  several  persons  entered. 

Padlewsky  touched  a  spring  in  the  wall.  A  secret  door 
opened,  leaving  a  space  large  enough  for  one  person  to 
pass  at  a  time. 

Through  it  they  entered  the  Hall  of  Assembly. 

This  hall  was  spacious  enough  to  accommodate  two  hun- 
dred people;  it  had  no  windows;  it  was  hung  with  cloth, 
wadded,  to  deaden  the  sound  of  the  voice.  The  floor  was 
covered  with  a  thick  carpet.  Everything  else  was  very 
plain:  simple  wooden  benches,  and  a  stand,  slightly 
raised,  for  the  speaker. 

What  was  Litzanoffs  and  Nadege's  astonishment  to 
recognize  among  those  present  many  members  of  the 
best  society,  and  of  the  families  known  for  their  devotion 

*A  man  who  watches  over  ten  houses. 


126  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

to  the  Emperor!  There  were  also  Poles,  Finns,  a  prince 
from  Daghestan,  Jew  bankerts,  several  Kaskolinks,*  and 
political  prisoners  who  had  been  liberated  or  who  had  es- 
caped from  prison. 

Woldemar  Siline  was  the  first  to  mount  the  stand.  He 
described  the  actual  situation  of  Russia,  read  the  most 
important  documents  aloui,  and  showed  how  an  iniquit- 
ous war,  undertaken  for  the  purpose  of  uprooting  the 
revolutionary  movement,  had  on  the  contrary  increased 
the  number  of  nihilists. 

Doctor  Poloutkine  succeeded  Siline,  and  eloquently 
but  vigorously  exposed  the  disastrous  consequences  of  the 
Turkish  war.  In  conclusion,  he  said: 

"  We  are  the  most  wretched  nation  in  the  world.  In 
our  rebellion  against  the  actual  condition  of  things,  we 
are  sure  that  we  express  the  feeling  of  the  people.  No- 
bles and  citizens,  workmen  and  peasants,  we  are  all 
weary  of  this  odious  tyranny.  The  Czar  has  sacrificed 
three  hundred  thousand  souls  to  suppress  in  Bulgaria  a 
rule  which  is  much  more  humane,  much  less  despotic 
than  our  own.  We  have  shed  our  blood  and  spent  mil- 
lions to  free  the  Bulgarians  from  the  oppression  of  the 
pachas;  but  are  we  not  ourselves  under  pachas  and  ra- 
jahs? We  have  sent  our  soldiers  into  Turkey  to  bring 
them  happiness  and  liberty!  What  is  Lithuanian  happi- 
ness? what  is  Muscovite  liberty?  Before  we  deliver 
others,  let  us  try  to  deliver  ourselves.  Has  a  Russian 
peasant  ever  owned  house  and  lands  like  the  Bulgarians? 
Has  one  of  our  mujiks  ever  gathered  in  crops  of  grain 
equal  to  those  owned  by  the  dwellers  in  the  fertile  val- 
leys of  Sophia  and  Adrianople?  Has  Turkey  her  Mour- 
avieffs,  her  Trepoffs? 

"  Our  scourge  is  Caesarism  !  It  has  weakened  our  bone, 
it  has  sucked  dry  the  marrow,  it  has  made  of  us  a  degen- 
erate race.  In  order  to  take  our  place  among  civilized 
nations  we  must  destroy  utterly  this  structure  of  our 
government,  our  shame  and  disgrace. 

"  They  say  the  Czar's  intentions   are  good,  but  hell  is 

*An  old  sect  of  dissenters  from  the  Orthodox  Church. 


DESCENT  OF  THE  POLICE.  127 

paved  with  good  intentions.  In  our  last  appeal  to  him 
we  strove  to  awaken  his  imperial  conscience,  if  an  Em- 
peror can  have  a  conscience.  What  liberties  has  he 
granted  to  us,  this  magnanimous  Emperor?  He  has  put 
a  few  pieces  to  an  old  garment,  that  is  all. 

"They  tell  us  that  to-day  there  are  laws  in  Russia;  but 
the  governors  of  the  provinces  modify  or  transgress  those 
laws  exactly  as  they  see  fit. 

"  There  are  in  Russia  judges,  and  even  juries  ;  but  the 
police  continue  to  act  as  they  please.  Scourging  has 
been  prohibited,  but  it  still  goes  on  in  this  holy,  abomin- 
able Russia.  They  told  us  that  the  whips  had  been  cast 
aside  ;  and  yet  they  whipped  our  brother  Bogoluboff  out- 
rageously. He  cried  aloud,  not  at  the  pain,  but  at  the 
insult.  That  insult  has  aroused  us;  each  one  of  us  has 
felt  the  lash  that  fell  upon  Bogoluboff 's  back." 

In  France  this  discourse  would  have  been  applauded; 
in  England  it  would  have  been  greeted  with  frantic 
cheers;  but  here  there  was  no  applause,  no  noisy  demon- 
stration, although  every  one  present  approved  of  the 
speech.  Enthusiasm  in  Russia  is  calm;  it  is  a  country  of 
abstract  passions,  of  cool  rages,  of  dogged  intoxication. 

Then  Narkileff  rose  up  and  asked  in  a  steady,  quiet 
voice: 

"  Yesterday  we  discussed,  when  there  were  but  few  of 
us  present,  what  sort  of  vengeance  should  be  taken  upon 
Trepoff.  I  wish  to  appeal  to  you  as  to  what  punishment 
he  deserves." 

"  Retaliation ! "  cried  several  voices. 

"No,  death!" 

"  Let  those  who  wish  him  put  to  death  stand  up!"  con- 
tinued Narkileff. 

About  half  the  number  of  those  present  arose. 

"  It  would  be  almost  impossible  to  have  him  whipped," 
observed  Komoff. 

"  With  the  means  at  our  disposal  nothing  is  impos- 
sible," said  Padlewsky. 

"•The  scourge  is  not  a  sufficient  punishment  for  that 
man's  crimes,"  observed  Woldemar  Siline.  "  There  have 


128  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

been  four  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners  arrested  without 
trial,  who  have  been  reduced  in  number  to  one  hundred 
and  ninety-three;  that  is  to  say,  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  prisoners  have  disappeared  either  by  hunger  or 
cold,  or  have  been  sent  away  secretly  to  Siberia.  Do 
you  think  that  one  man's  life  is  enough  to  expiate  such 
cruelty?" 

"No!  no!  death!  death!" 

Such  was  now  the  cry. 

"  What  sort  of  death?  " 

The  opinions  were  divided. 

"  The  traitor  Akim  Niconoff  perished  by  the  dasrger," 
said  Sophronius,  "  and  those  who  have  struck  him  down 
have  never  been  discovered." 

"Listen  to  me,"  continued  Padlewsky;  "I  do  not  wish 
to  kill  Trepoff." 

Loud  objections  drowned  his  voice. 

"  Justice  must  be  done." 

"Wait,"  he  continued,  "for  the  great  day  of  judgment, 
the  day  of  the  wrath  of  the  people." 

"We  should  have  to  wait  too  long,"  cried  out  some 
one  in  the  crowd. 

"Reflect  one  moment,  my  friends;  this  would  be  an 
assassination." 

"  Say  rather  a  righteous  execution." 

"  But  what  good  will  it  do?  If  you  begin  you  cannot 
stop  with  Trepoff ;  you  must  go  on  to  the  magistrates, 
the  blue  officers,  all  the  representatives  of  tyranny,  of  arbi- 
trary rule,  all  those  who  openly  and  with  impunity  prac- 
tice injustice  in  the  Holy  Empire  of  the  Czar.  Ah  no  ! 
do  uot  let  us  pay  them  back  crime  for  crime.  Let  us 
show  them  that  our  morality  and  our  justice  are  far  above 
theirs." 

He  was  violently  interrupted: 

"No  such  namby-pamby  generosity  !  They  have  made 
martyrs  enough  ;  we  will  avenge  them  and  defend  our- 
selves." 

Padlewsky  allowed  the  tumult  to  subside. 

"  You  forget,"  he  resumed, "  that  the  punishment  which 


DESCENT  OF  THE  POLICE.  129 

you  intend  might  bring  very  dangerous  consequences, 
terrible  reprisals  upon  us;  it  might  shackle  our  move- 
ments, bring  forth  a  fresh  growth  of  repressive  measures, 
and  increased  rigor  against  the  prisoners  and  the  exiles." 

"So  much  the  better,"  cried  out  Poloutkin;  "that  will 
but  fill  up  the  measure.  The  more  they  imprison,  the 
more  they  scourge,  the  more  will  public  indignation 
swell  and  rise.  The  Russian  people  is  a  man  asleep  with 
his  hands  hanging  by  his  sides.  We  must  shake  him  from 
his  torpor,  draw  him  out  of  his  deadly  lethargy,  put  arms 
into  those  hands  paralyzed  by  slavery  and  by  imbecile 
submission  to  his  tyrants.  One  lightning  stroke  will,  I 
hope,  be  the  signal  vainly  expected  for  twenty  years  by 
every  man  who  believes  in  the  revolution  and  desJlres  it.'* 

These  words  raised  a  storm  in  the  hall. 

"Yes  !" 

"  No ! " 

"  Death  ! " 

"  By  the  dagger." 

"  By  the  revolver." 

"  Secretly." 

"Publicly." 

"  Boldly." 

"  In  open  day." 

"  As  publicly  as  possible." 

"  Who  will  do  it?  " 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  do  it?  "  whispered  Litzanoff  in 
Wan  da's  ear. 

'•Oh!  no,  no!"  cried  Nadege,  overhearing  him,  and 
pressing  close  to  her  husband's  side. 

"  How  brave  you  are,"  said  Litzanoff,  laughing. 

The  meeting  moved  to  adjourn  ;  every  one  arose  and 
talked  together  in  groups. 

Katia  crossed  the  room  to  speak  to  Vera  Zassoulitch. 
She  was  sitting  by  herself  on  a  bench,  listening  to  the 
uproar,  with  her  sad  smile  and  inward-looking  eyes. 

"  If  they  do  not  resolve   upon   something  definite  to- 
night," she  said  with  much  simplicity,"!  shall   take  the 
matter  into  my  own  hands." 
9 


130  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

She  left  her  seat  and  drew  near  to  a  group  engaged  in 
angry  discussion;  but  she  did  not  join  in  their  talk. 

"  Who  is  that  young  girl?  "  asked  Litzanoff  of  Katia. 

"  She  is  a  heroine,  a  martyr.  I  will  tell  you  her  story, 
it  is  frightful. 

"  She  had  hardly  left  school  in  Moscow  when  she  met 
Netchaieff,  who  initiated  her  into  our  doctrines.  For  the 
crime  of  having  listened  to  him,  she  was  condemned  to 
be  sent  to  the  casemates  of  the  fort.  She  asked  in  vain 
what  were  the  charges  against  her;  her  jailors  were  deaf 
and  dumb  to  her  entreaties.  She  had  a  mother  whom  she 
worshiped;  she  was  allowed  neither  to  see  her,  write  to 
her,  nor  to  receive  any  message  from  her.  Afterwards 
she  discovered  that  her  mother  had  been  imprisoned  like- 
wise; that  her  sister,  with  a  baby  at  the  breast,  had  been 
thrown  into  prison.  The  baby  died,  and  its  wretched 
father  was  condemned  to  twenty  years  in  the  mines. 
Vera's  heart  bled  more  for  the  sufferings  of  those  she 
loved  than  for  her  own. 

"And  yet,  what  a  dreadful  life  she  had!  She  was  al- 
lowed no  occupation;  she  was  tortured  by  silence,  weari- 
ness, longing. 

"During  those  two  years,  she  told  me,  her  eyes  rested 
upon  no  one  save  her  jailers  and  the  agents  of  the  police; 
her  ears  heard  no  sound  save  the  noise  of  the  bolts,  the 
click  of  the  guns,  the  step  of  the  sentinel,  the  monoton- 
ous tick  of  the  clock,  telling  of  wasted  hours,  long  and 
weary  as  centuries.  At  last,  when  this  poor  girl  came 
out  of  her  dungeon,  and  thought  herself  once  more  free, 
the  police  seized  her  and  sent  her  into  a  distant  province 
where  she  was  confined,  placed  under  strict  surveillance, 
hurried  from  town  to  town,  from  village  to  village,  perse- 
cuted by  sidelong  glances,  by  outrageous  suspicions,  for 
a  crime  that  she  had  never  committed.  Do  you  measure 
all  the  indignation,  all  the  pent-up  revolt  in  that  creature 
twenty  years  old  ?  Do  you  understand  her  hatred  for  the 
police  and  all  their  men  !  " 

They  were  still  discussing,  but  had  arrived  at  no  con- 
clusion, when  the  same  man  who  had  opened  the  door 


DESCENT  OF  THE  POLICE.  131 

~~~ 

for  Wanda  and  her  friends,  came  suddenly  into  the  room, 

and  whispered  something  to  Padlewsky. 

"  My  friends,"  exclaimed  the  Pole,  "the  police  are  at 
the  door  of  No.  11." 

There  was  dead  silence.  Every  face  grew  pale  ;  they 
all  saw  themselves  on  the  road  to  Tobolsk. 

Siline  mounted  the  stand  : 

"Let  there  be  no  stupid  panic,"  he  said;  "be 'cool. 
There  are  three  other  entrances.  Let  us  divide  ourselves 
into  three  parties,  and  so  we  can  effect  our  escape.  I 
have  been  engaged  in  this  business  for  fifty  years,  and  it 
is  at  least  the  twentieth  time  that  the  police  have  broken 
up  our  meetings.  Let  us  be  calm ;  above  all,  let  there  be 
no  cowardice  !  Let  us  remember  that  we  are  ready  to 
sacrifice  our  lives  for  the  great  cause  of  the  people." 

Nadege  was  trembling,  almost  ready  to  faint.  But  on 
Wanda's,  LitzanofPs  and  Katia's  face  could  be  seen 
neither  hesitation  nor  fear. 

"  You  are  as  brave  as  an  old  conspirator,"  said  Wanda 
to  Stepane. 

"  I  assure  you,  I  have  never  been  so  much  amused  in 
my  life.  These  are  genuine  emotions.  This  morning,  I 
wanted  to  kill  myself;  I  am  glad  that  I  waited,"  he 
whispered,  in  Wanda's  ear. 

She  fixed  her  beautiful  eyes  upon  him. 

"  It  would  have  been  a  suicide  with  no  result.  You 
see  now  that  you  will  have  plenty  of  opportunity  to  sacri- 
fice your  life." 

Padlewsky  had  gone  into  the  drawing-room  of  No.  11 
to  shut  and  bolt  the  doors,  so  as  to  gain  time,  while  the 
police  were  forcing  them,  to  cover  the  retreat  of  his  friends. 
But  he  returned  in  a  few  moments,  and  said  quietly  : 

"The  situation  is  serious,  more  serious  than  I  thought; 
the  four  entrances  are  guarded  by  the  police." 

No  word  was  said,  no  cry  was  uttered;  but  each  one 
seemed  to  hear  the  beating  of  his  own  heart. 

Padlewsky  went  on,  still  perfectly  unmoved: 

"It  is  evident  that  we  have  been  betrayed;  there  is  an 
informer  among  us." 


132  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Each  gazed  upon  the  other. 

"  Who  is  he?  It  matters  but  little  !  The  coward  shall 
be  punished  by  the  futility  of  his  information.  If  I 
seemed  uneasy  for  a  moment,  it  was  but  to  try  you.  For- 
give me;  you  are  each  one  of  you  a  hero.  I  foresaw  all 
this,  and  there  is  a  fifth  entrance  known  to  me  alone. 
The  four  doors  are  strongly  barricaded;  it  will  take  the 
police  half  an  hour  to  break  them  down.  So  we  can  make 
our  escape  without  any  hurry.  Only  be  perfectly  silent." 

Then  Andrew  Padlewsky  drew  aside  one  of  the  cur- 
tains; behind  it  was  a  door,  which  he  threw  open;  one  by 
one  the  persons  present,  passing  through  it,  stepped  upon 
a  very  narrow  winding  staircase.  Like  the  captain  of  a 
shipwrecked  vessel,  Padlewsky  would  not  descend  until 
he  had  seen  the  last  one  of  his  friends  safe.  Then  he 
pulled  back  the  curtain  into  position,  and  locked  the 
secret  door  behind  him.  At  the  same  moment  the  blows 
of  the  axes  as  they  fell  upon  the  outside  doors  shook  the 
house  to  its  foundations. 


.     CHAPTER   XVII. 

THE    CHIEF    OP    POLICE. 

THE  next  morning  Wanda  woke  up  fresh  and  bloom- 
ing. She  looked  as  if  no  care  had  ever  troubled  her. 
Her  white  brow  was  unruffled  by  a  cloud. 

As  soon  as  she  was  dressed,  she  went  to  her  father's 
room. 

"Father,"  she  said,  "I  have  been  thinking  all  night 
long  about  the  accusations  that  have  been  brought  against 
me.  Although  they  are  perfectly  false,  they  might  have 
very  disastrous  consequences  for  you  as  well  as  for  me;  and 
I  should  like  very  much  to  prove  my  innocence  to  the 
police.  It  seems  to  me  the  more  necessary  because  yes- 


THE  CHIEF  OF  POLICE.  133 

terday,  when  I  went  to  see  the  Litzanoffs,  T  was  followed  by 
that  fellow  Popoff,  that  you  had  sent  to  jail.  How  did  he 
get  out?  And  why  do  you  think  he  was  following  me? 
Evidently  he  has  been  bribed  by  somebody.  Don't  you 
think  he  is  in  the  pay  of  the  police?" 

"That  scoundrel  Popoff  at  liberty?"  cried  the  Prince  ; 
"  I  will  see  about  this.  What  proofs  can  you  give  of  your 
innocence?" 

"  I  want  you  to  take  me  to  see  General  Trepoff,  and  I 
shall  ask  for  an  explanation.  Do  you.  think  he  can  doubt 
me  when  he  sees  me?  Have  I  anything  in  common  wiih 
these  young  Nihilists  who  go  about  dressed  up  in  brown 
frocks  with  their  hair  cut  short  and  blue  spectacles  on 
their  nose?  Am  I  not  a  woman  of  society,  a  fashionable 
woman?  " 

"It  is  a  good  idea,"  said  the  Prince;  "I  will  think  it 
over  while  we  are  at  breakfast.  And  besides,  Trepoff  is 
a  charming  fellow,  rather  gallant  perhaps,  but  very  dis- 
tinguished in  his  manners  and  quite  liberal  in  his  views." 

"  He  flogs  the  political  prisoners,"  interupted  Wanda, 
in  rather  an  ironical  tone. 

"  He  is  right.  Those  nihilists  are  insolent,  audacious 
beyond  expression.  Imagine  the  Chief -of  Police  insulted 
by  such  a  low-bred  fool  as  that  Bogoluboff  !" 

"  He  is  a  man,  father,  at  any  rate! "  exclaimed  Wanda; 
"I  think  the  General  ought  to  have  some  respect  for  the 
dignity^of  man." 

"  Do  you  call  such  a  wretch  as  that  worthy  of  dignity! 
He  is  a  thousand  times  more  culpable  than  a  thief,  or 
even  than  a  murderer.  A  murderer  merely  endangers 
the  lives  of  one  or  two. persons;  but  a  socialist  endangers 
the  life  of  our  whole  society." 

"  I  think,  father,  that  you  exaggerate  the  importance 
of  the  socialist  party." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  but  at  any  rate  the  Chief  of 
Police  ought  to  uphold  the  law,  for  without  it  social  order 
cannot  exist,  and  we  should  fall  into  a  chaotic  state  of 
misrule.  Would  it  not  frighten  you  to  pay  a  visit  to 
General  Trepoff?" 


134:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Not  in  the  least;  I  am  strong  in  the  consciousness  of 
my  own  innocence." 

"  But  suppose  there  really  does  exist  some  accusation 
against  you?  Even  just  now  you  were  upholding  Bogolu- 
boff.  You  could  not  speak  in  that  way  before  people 
without  exciting  suspicion." 

"Well,  I  want  to  explain  to  the  General  that  I  have  an 
independent  way  of  thinking,  and  that  it  has  given  rise  to 
the  idea  that  I  do  not  love  this  Government  of  satraps." 

"There  you  are «again.  Indeed,  you  frighten  me!  You 
know  well  that  in  Russia  you  cannot  joke  about  such 
things." 

"  I  will  utter  those  very  words  to  him  in  such  a  pleasant 
way  that  he  will  not  mind  it." 

"  My  unhappy  child,  you  do  not  understand  the  police. 
One  of  my  friends  told  me — and  he  knew  what  he  was 
talking  about — that  in  a  hidden  place  they  have  a  piece  of 
mechanism  reserved  for  special  occasions,  consisting  of  rods 
worked  by  machinery.  Any  one  who  is  suspected  can 
be  brought  before  the  head  of  the  Third  Section,  and  after 
a  few  moments  of  interrogation,  he  suddenly  feels  a  trap- 
door opened,  and  finds  himself  suspended  in  a  dark  cham- 
ber— then  unseen  hands  rapidly  undress  him,  and  the  in- 
visible rods  do  their  duty.  Then  he  is  placed  upon  the 
trap-door,  it  moves  back  into  position,  and  he  is  con- 
ducted to  his  carriage  with  the  greatest  courtesy.  He 
foes  home  bearing  with  him  an  indelible  impression  of 
is  visit  to  the  General,  and  at  the  same  time  the* consola- 
tion that  his  executioners  have  never  seen  his  face,  and  so 
cannot  recognize  him  again.  I  am  told  that  several  ladies 
in  society  have  been  thus  treated." 

"  Don't  you  think  it  is  horrible  that  such  acts  can  be 
committed  with  impunity?  One  does  not  need  to  be  a 
socialist  to  revolt  at  such  proceedings." 

"  And  you  are  perfectly  capable  of  saying  that  to  the 
Chief  of  Police?" 

"  I  promise  you  that  I  will  watch  over  my  words." 

"But  suppose  he  questions  you  to  find  out  your  opin- 
ions? " 


THE  CHIEF  OF  POLICE.  185 

"  Then  I  will  answer  him  in  a  light,  trifling  way." 

"  Well,  let  us  go;   but  take  care." 

Two  hours  after  this  conversation  Prince  Kryloff  s  coupe 
stopped  before  General  TrepofPs  office. 

Trepoff,  who  at  that  time  was  chief  of  the  Petersburg 
police,  was  not  a  monster.  He  was  looked  upon  as  an 
amiable  man,  with  fine  manners,  agreeable  in  conversation, 
very  fond  of  art,  literature  and  the  drama.  For  a  long 
time  he  had  been  one  of  the  Czar's  favorites. 

In  passing  through  Warsaw,  of  which  he  was  then 
Chief  of  Police,  Alexander  had  met  him  one  day  in  a 
droschky  drawn  by  two  superb  black  horses.  Trepoff 
was  standing  up  in  the  carriage,  steadying  himself  by 
holding  on  to  an  iron  bar.  The  Emperor  sent  for  him, 
and  asked  him  why  he  drove  about  in  that  attitude. 

"  So  that  I  can  see  everything,  Sire,"  he  answered. 

From  that  moment  the  Emperor  gave  him  his  confi- 
dence. 

Not  only  the  Czar,  but  the  public  likewise,  had  the 
greatest  confidence  in  Trepoff.  He  was  independent  and 
fair.  The  big  thiefs  feared  him  as  much  as  the  little  ones. 
He  took  as  good  care  of  the  poorer  parts  of  the  city  as  he 
did  of  the  wealthy  ones.  The  citizens  of  Petersburg  called 
him  "  Father  Trepoff,"  which  is  a  great  compliment  in 
Russia. 

How  had  he  allowed  himself  to  be  so  carried  away  by 
his  temper  as  to  give  that  order  which  had  in  one  in- 
stant lost  him  his  popularity? 

As  she  mounted  the  stairs  that  led  to  the  apartments  of 
the  Chief  of  Police,  Wanda  felt  her  heart  beat.  She 
was  afraid  that  she  would  lose  her  presence  of  mind  be- 
fore this  man,  who  embodied  in  himself,  as  it  were,  all 
the  crimes  of  the  Third  Section. 

For  three  days  Trepoff 's  rage,  excited  by  the  re- 
proaches of  the  Emperor,  and  by  no  ways  appeased  by 
Bogoluboff's  flogging,  had  been  on  the  increase.  In 
three  days'  search  he  had  still  found  no  clue  to  the  con- 
spiracy. The  stupid,  unsuccessful  zeal  of  his  police  had 
exasperated  him.  He  knew  that  the  nihilists  longed  to 


136  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

avenge  the  insult  offered  to  Bogoluboff,  and  all  the 
scourges  in  the  kingdom  did  not  seem  to  him  severe 
enough  for  their  crimes,  and  the  sleepless  nights  they 
caused  him. 

And  so,  when  Prince  and  Princess  Kryloff  were  sum- 
moned, he  fairly  bounded  from  his  seat. 

"Ah!  now  I  will  find  out  something.  A  woman,  a 
young  girl;  I  will  manage  to  make  her  speak." 

Concealing  his  bad  temper,  he  received  his  visitors 
with  politeness,  and  invited  them  to  be  seated. 

"General,"  said  the  Prince,  "  my  daughter  has  de- 
sired me  to  bring  her  to  see  you,  in  order  that  she  may 
lay  her  complaints  before  you  of  the  rumors  that  are  cir- 
culated in  regard  to  her,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  she 
is  watched  by  your  agents." 

"  Yes,"  said  Trepoff,  "I  have  had  several  reports  made 
to  me,  in  which  the  Princess's  name  figures,  and ." 

Up  to  this  time  Wanda  had  sat  with  her  veil  down; 
she  removed  it. 

The  General  looked  at  her,  struck  dumb  with  admir- 
ation. 

She  wore  a  little  hat  of  garnet  velvet,  trimmed  with 
white  ostrich  feathers  and  pearl  buckles.  Her  hair  fell 
over  her  forehead  in  soft  curls,  and  her  excitement  caused 
her  eyes  to  deepen  in  color  and  to  glow  with  intensity. 

"  I  have  come  here  to  accuse  myself,"  she  said,  smil- 
ing in  the  most  coquettish,  bewitching  manner.  "I  am  a 
socialist." 

"  What !  "  cried  the  Prince,  who  thought  his  daughter 
had  gone  mad. 

The  Chief  of  Police  looked  on  in  utter  astonish- 
ment. 

"Yes,"  she  went  on,  "I  am  a  revolutionist,  a  rebel 
— I  rebel  against  the  miserable  pavement  of  Petersburg, 
against  the  wretched  macadamized  roads,  against  our 
green  roofs,  that  drive  the  French  painters  to  despair.  I 
revolt  against  everything  that  is  ugly,  against  every- 
thing that  offends  my  eye  and  hurts  my  feet,  against 
every  thing  that  shocks  my  taste,  my  good  sense,  or 


THE  CHIEF  OF  POLICE.  137 

the  feeling  of  justice  that  nature  has  implanted  within 
me.  Up  to  this  time  I  have  not  rebelled  against  society, 
for  I  have  nothing  to  complain  of." 

"Well, "said  the  General,  utterly  confounded. 

"  But  if  you  go  on  accusing  me,"  she  continued,  "  spy- 
ing me,  persecuting  me,  I  don't  know  what  I  shall  do — 
perhaps  turn  socialist,  Nihilist,  revolutionist,  anarchist — 
anything  you  choose,  just  to  find  out  what  it  is  all  about, 
and  to  keep  your  policemen  at  bay." 

At  these  last  words  Trepoff  felt  his  face  grow  crim- 
son. 

"And  yet,"  he  said,  "last  night  at  eight  o'clock,  you, 
together  with  Count  and  Countess  Litzanoff . ..." 

"  And  my  companion,"  interrupted  Wanda,  not  in  the 
least  disconcerted. 

"  Were  seen  in  a  part  of  the  town  not  much  frequent- 
ed by  the  aristocracy,  going  in  the  direction  of  a  house 
which  is  looked  upon  as  suspected." 

"  We  were  all  going  to  a  little  theatre,  which  is  not 
very  refined,  that  is  true;  but  we  only  wanted  to  amuse 
ourselves;  we  had  no  intentions  whatever  against  the  Gov- 
ernment." 

"  How  could  you  make  up  your  mind  to  goto  such  a 
place?" 

"  Count  Litzanoff  is  so  blasd,  that  he  always  wants  to  try 
some  out-of-the-way  place.  We  had  a  very  pleasant 
evening.  That  is  the  whole  truth." 

"  But  why  did  you  give  a  hundred  roubles  to  Popoff?" 

With  wonderful  presence  of  mind  Wanda  answered: 
"  To  understand  that,  you  would  have  to  know  Count 
Litzanoff.  The  persistency  of  that  fellow  in  following  us 
set  him  nearly  crazy.  He  did  not  want  any  one  to  recog- 
nize him,  and  he  had  no  small  change  with  him,  so  he 
threw  him  that  hundred  rouble  note." 

TrepotF  listened  to  all  this.  If  it  was  not  true,  at  least  it 
was  probable,  and  how  could  he  say  to  this  beautiful 
creature — You  lie! 

"You  are  very  clever,"  he  said,  "but. ..." 

Wanda  interrupted  him: 


138  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  General,  do  you  know  why  the  Russians  are  always 
plotting?  It  is  because  they  are  so  bored.  In  Russia 
the  sky  is  sad,  life  is  sad,  we  are  sad  from  our  birth. 
When  we  do  not  intoxicate  ourselves  with  vodky,  we  long 
for  political  intoxication.  In  place  of  building  prisons 
why  do  you  not  put  up  theatres-?  Russians  are  crazy  about 
theatrical  amusements;  do  something  to  amuse  us.  Think 
of  it,  and  you  will  see  that  I  am  right." 

"  This  is  all  very  entertaining,  and  what  makes  me  doubt 
your  being  a  socialist  is  your  fine  mind  and  your  very 
charming  manners.  You  seem  to  me  to  have  too  much 
sense,  too  much  refinement,  to  allow  yourself  to  be  mixed 
up  with  these  infidel,  dirty,  empty-headed  democrats." 

"  And  how  could  you  suspect  that  Litzanoff,  that 
epicure,  that  king  of  society,  that  swell,  could  become  a 
Nihilist?  And  his  charming,  airy  little  wife  !  how  could 
any  one  associate  her  with  the  viragos  whose  portraits 
adorn  the  daily  papers  ?  Poor  Nadege  !  she  would  faint 
at  the  mere  thought  of  such  an  accusation.  General,  I 
particularly  want  to  introduce  you  to  these  dangerous 
socialists.  My  father  is  going  to  give  me  a  ball  on  my 
birthday,  which  is  the  13th  of  January.  I  hope  you  will 
honor  us  with  your  presence.  There  you  will  meet  these 
black-hearted  conspirators  face  to  face." 

As  she  spoke,  Wanda  managed  to  throw  into  her  face 
an  expression  of  exquisite  charm  and  grace. 

The  Chief  of  Police,  completely  captivated,  accepted 
the  invitation. 

His  anger  had  passed  away  ;  he  complimented  the 
Prince  upon  having  such  a  daughter. 


SELF-ABNEGA  TION.  139 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

SELF-ABNEGATION". 

WHEN  Litzanoff  returned  from  his  evening  at  Padlews- 
ky's,  he  conducted  Nadege  to  her  room,  and  then  with- 
drew to  his  own.  He  wrapped  himself  in  a  fur  robe, 
and  stretched  himself  out  upon  his  divan. 

He  tried  in  vain  to  sleep  ;  towards  midnight  he  arose, 
and  taking  up  one  of  the  books  that  Padlewsky  had  lent 
him,  he  went  on  with  his  reading.  Suddenly  he  stopped, 
walked  up  and  down  the  room,  then  stood  still,  lost  in 
meditation;  his  eyes  shone,  his  breast  heaved,  his  face 
was  distorted  with  passion — but  in  a  moment  a  change 
swept  over  his  features,  his  eyes  grew  tender,  he  stretched 
out  his  arms  towards  some  unseen  form,  he  murmured 
indistinctly  words  of  love,  of  grief,  of  gentle  reproach. 

Then  for  several  minutes  he  appeared  stupefied,  when, 
seizing  a  pistol,  which  lay  upon  the  table  in  his  room,  he 
placed  it  against  his  heart,  and  as  suddenly  let  it  fall. 

"She  will  not  let  me! "  he  said. 

About  daybreak  he  fell  asleep,  and  did  not  awake  until 
noon. 

Nadege  came  to  inquire  if  he  felt  badly. 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  answered,  kissing  her  tenderly.  "  I 
have  read  the  whole  night  through;  and  you,  dear,  how 
do  you  feel  after  last  evening?" 

"I  could  not  sleep  either,"  said  Nadege;  "  but  I  was 
not  thinking  of  last  evening's  performances,  I  was  think- 
ing of  you." 

"Are  you  still  always  thinking  of  me?" 

"  Yes,  I  am,"  said  the  young  wife,  making  a  charming 
little  face.  "  But  you  cannot  say  the  same  to  me,  un- 
grateful man! " 

"Yes,  I  am  ungrateful;  and  still  my  love  is  sincere,  I 
assure  you." 

"  Stepane,"  said  Nadege,  with  a  gravity,  a  resolution 


140  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

that  did  not  seem  to  belong  to  her,  "  I  want  to  speak  to 
you  about  something,  and  I  want  you  to  tell  me  the  truth." 

"What  is  it  about,  dear?"  said  Litzanoff,  stifling  a  sigh. 
He  thought  another  scene  was  impending. 

"  You  are  in  love  with  Wanda." 

He  gave  an  involuntary  start. 

"  Are  you  crazy?  " 

"  Then  swear  that  you  do  not  love  her." 

"  You  are  so  childish." 

"I  am  not  childish,  Stepane;  I  am  only  a  woman  hope- 
lessly, desperately  in  love  with  a  man  who  does  not  care 
for  her.  Our  reconciliation  did  not  deceive  me." 

Stepane  thought  that  by  lying  he  could  hoodwink  his 
wife,  and  he  also  thought  that  if  he  once  owned  his  love 
for  Wanda  he  would  lose  the  happiness  of  seeing  her  in 
his  own  house. 

"  You  are  entirely  mistaken,  Nadege.  I  admire  Wanda 
as  I  do  a  statue.  She  could  never  Jove  any  man  who  is 
not  a  hero,  and  I  am  not  a  hero.  You  are  all  the  time 
thinking  that  I  am  in  love  with  some  other  woman.  The 
trouble  with  me  is  that  I  have  led  a  dissolute  life;  my 
heart  is  worn  out,  my  senses  are  deadened;  I  am  the  vic- 
tim of  a  terrible  ennui,  which  prevents  me  from  feeling 
the  charm  of  any  gentle,  quiet  love.  Dear  child,  I 
thoroughly  appreciate  all  your  noble,  good  qualities;  I 
am  touched  by  your  affection  for  me,  and  I  know  that  I  am 
unworthy  of  it.  I  wish  I  could  love  you  as  you  deserve; 
I  wish  I  could  worship  you,  pass  my  life  at  your  feet." 

"  Why  don't  you  love  me  that  way?"  sobbed  Nadege, 
throwing  herself  into  her  husband's  arms. 

"  Poor  little  heart !    I  cannot." 

Nadege  fell  almost  lifeless  upon  the  divan. 

"  Nadege,  my  darling  wife,  your  reproaches  will  kill 
me.  Spare  me  them,  I  implore  you." 

Suddenly  the  young  wife  perceived  the  pistol  that 
Litzanoff  had  thrown  upon  the  floor  in  his  frenzy. 

"  What  is  this?"  she  cried,  picking  it  up.  "  O  Stepane, 
my  husband,  iny  love,  you  have  been  trying  to  kill  your- 
self ! " 


SELF-ABNEGATION.  141 

And  she  frantically  embraced  him. 

"  You  wished  to  die — why,  why?  because  this  woman 
— I  do  not  know  who  it  is — but  I  know  it  is  a  woman." 

"  No,  I  swear  to  you  it  is  not  so.  I  did  want  to  die, 
but  it  was  only  because  I  cannot  love  you  as  you  deserve 
to  be  loved,"  answered  Stepane,  who  really  began  to  be 
moved  by  the  grief  which  he  was  causing.  And  he 
pressed  his  wife  to  his  heart. 

"  Say  that  again,  swear  that  you  do  not  love  any  one 
but  me." 

"  No  one,  my  love,"  answered  Stepane. 

"Thanks,  thanks!  Do  you  know  what  I  came  to  pro- 
pose to  you?  Do  you  know  what  I  have  determined  to 
do?"  she  said,  smiling. 

"  No." 

"  Well,  I  came  to  offer  you  your  liberty." 

"How?" 

"  If  you  wish  it,  I  will  apply  for  a  divorce." 

Stepane  arose,  and  walked  up  and  down  the  room  in 
sombre  silence. 

"  Forgive  me,  forgive  me! "  cried  Nadege,  who  thought 
she  had  hurt  her  husband's  feelings.  "  I  know  it  would 
have  killed  me.  But  I  only  desired  your  happiness.  I 
love  you  well  enough  to  die  for  you." 

Now  this  was  what  troubled  Litzanoff  so  deeply.  He 
saw,  as  it  were,  his  liberty  within  his  grasp;  the  liberty 
whose  loss  he  had  so  bitterly  regretted  for  two  years.  He 
hesitated  between  his  desire  to  seize  it  and  his  unwilling- 
ness to  grieve  Nadege.  It  would  be  cruel  to  accept  it. 
Nadege's  last  words  softened  his  heart. 

"How  kind  you  are!  "  he  said,  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 

Nadege  believed  that  he  loved  her;  if  not  passionate- 
ly, at  least  tenderly. 

"  What  book  is  this?"  she  asked. 

"  It  is  the  book  which  has  converted  me  to  socialism." 

"Are  you  really  converted  and  convinced?" 

"  Yes,  I  really  am,"  answered  Litzanoff;  "  so  really 
convinced,  that  I  am  willing  to  sacrifice  my  life  to  the 
cause." 


142  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Then  so  am  I,"  said  Nadege.  "  I  say  as  Rulh  did  to 
Naomi — '  Your  God  shall  be  my  God,  and  whither  thou 
goest  I  will  go! '" 

For  four  days  after  this,  Stepane  remained  shut  up  in 
his  own  room.  He  only  left  it  to  get  new  books  from 
Padlewsky;  the  works  of  Bakounin,  Lassalle,  and  Marx. 
After  he  had  finished  those  he  read  Auguste  Comte, 
Charles  Fourier,  and  Proudhon. 

The  idea  of  Justice  in  all  its  glory  burst  upon  his 
mind.  At  first  it  blinded  him.  Then  around  him  in 
every  direction  he  saw  the  Old  World  crumbling  to 
pieces  at  his  feet.  He  saw  that  a  new  edifice  must 
be  built  up,  resting  on  no  Roman  law  or  legal 
rights  or  atheistic  philosophy  or  barren  rationalism. 
He  could  and  would  contribute  his  stone  to  this  colossal 
structure;  and  in  the  presence  of  such  lofty  thoughts, 
such  noble  desires,  his  own  selfish  suffering  seemed  to 
pale. 

After  four  days  spent  thus  in  almost  complete  solitude, 
during  which  time  he  had  been  very  good  to  Nadege,  he 
made  a  grand  resolve. 

He  sent  for  his  steward.  This  intendant,  Dmtri  Kisch- 
leff,  was  an  old  serf — a  type  yet  quite  usual  in  Russia, 
who  looked  upon  the  emancipation  as  a  mistake,  and  who 
still  remained  perfectly  devoted  to  his  master.  He  was 
well  educated,  and  possessed  some  little  means;  but  he 
was  a  true  mujick,  kissing  the  hand  that  smote  him. 

The  fortune  that  Stepane  squandered  with  lavish  hand, 
Dmtri  took  care  of  as  if  it  were  his  own.  He  regarded 
the  palace  as  his.  He  rejoiced  in  the  luxury  of  his 
masters,  as  if  their  magnificence  redounded  upon  himself. 
In.  one  word,  he  had  completely  identified  himself  with 
them.  Beautiful,  fascinating  Stepane  was  his  demi-god. 
He  adored  him  as  if  he  had  been  his  fetish. 

"  My  dear  Dmtri,"  said  Stepane,  "  I  have  not  looked 
over  my  affairs  for  a  long  time.  You  have  advised  me 
several  times  to  cut  down  my  expenses.  I  suppose,  then, 
that  my  fortune  is  somewhat  impaired.  I  wish  you 
would  draw  me  up  a  list  of  everything  that  I  own,  leav- 


SELF-ABNEGATION.  143 

ing  out  the  marriage-portion  of  the  Countess.  I  want 
you  to  let  me  have  the  statement  to-morrow,  or  this  even- 
ing if  possible." 

"  My  accounts  are  in  perfect  order,  your  Excellency," 
answered  Dmtri;  "  I  can  bring  them  to  you  in  a  couple 
of  hours." 

"  I  am  waiting  for  them  with  the  greatest  impatience. 
I  want  one  hundred  thousand  roubles  at  once." 

"  A  hundred  thousand  roubles  !  "  cried  the  steward, 
looking  very  much  frightened. 

"Yes,  I  want  it  to-day." 

Dmtri  shook  his  head.  "  That  will  be  hard  to  do.  I 
have  only  about  twenty  thousand  in  hand.  Your  Ex- 
cellency forgets  all  that  I  have  had  to  pay  out  this 
month — the  house  you  bought,  the  horses,  and  the  French 
dresses  for  Madame." 

"  That  is  true,  T  forgot." 

"  I  got  a  bill  this  very  morning  from  the  coach-maker 
for  five  thousand  roubles;  and  yesterday  the  upholster- 
er sent  in  an  account  often  thousand." 

"  Very  well,  very  well,  pay  those  bills,  and  pay  every- 
thing I  owe  up  to  this  date  ;  but  after  this  I  will  have 
no  more  money  spent  on  that  woman." 

Dmtri  looked  delighted. 

"Yes,  good,  faithful  Dmtri,  I  have  given  up  that  folly; 
but  I  have  taken  up  another  a  thousand  times  worse  than 
all  the  rest  you  have  groaned  over." 

"Are  you  in  earnest?"  exclaimed  poor  Dmtri. 

"One  thing  I  promise  you — if!  do  ruin  myself  com- 
pletely, I  will  take  good  care  that  you  shall  be  provided 
for.  So  rest  satisfied,  my  good  fellow." 

"Ah, your  Excellency,  if  there  is  yet  time,  do  reflect 
upon  what  you  are  going  to  do!  Poverty  for  any  one 
who,  like  you,  has  always  rolled  in  wealth,  is  a  frightful 
thing." 

"  Is  it  more  frightful  for  me  than  for  the  mujick,  who 
passes  his  whole  life  without  one  moment  of  happiness 
or  of  prosperity?  " 

"Excellency,  are  you  in  earnest  ?"  . 


144:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  am  indeed.  You  know  me,  Dmtri;  you  know  that 
I  will  have  my  own  way.  The  fancy  that  I  have  now  is 
at  any  rate  a  noble  one,  and  will  give  me  real  pure  en- 
joyment such  as  I  have  never  known.  Gather  together 
my  money  and  bring  me  the  hundred  thousand  roubles 
that  I  want." 

The  faithful  servant  withdrew,  overwhelmed  by  this 
new  madness  of  his  master's.  He  had  the  hundred  thous- 
and roubles,  but  he  did  not  want  to  give  them  toStepane 
immediately,  for  fear  they  would  be  squandered  too 
quickly. 

At  noon  he  brought  in  the  list  of  the  Count's  property 
and  prepared  to  read  it  out. 

"  Now,  your  Excellency  ..." 

"  You  weary  me  with '  your  Excellencies;'  call  me  simp- 
ly Stepane  Danilovitch." 

Dmtri  looked  at  him  with  open-mouthed  amazement. 
"  Never  shall  I  forget,"  he  said,  "  the  respect  that  I  owe 
to  your  Excellency." 

"  Do  you  not  owe  me  obedience  before  everything  else?  " 
answered  Stepane,  smiling.  "  I  wish  you  to  call  me 
Stepane,  just  as  I  call  you  Dmtri." 

The  steward  looked  very  embarrassed.  "  Perhaps  he 
is  going  crazy,"  he  thought,  glancing  at  him  with  fright- 
ened eyes. 

Stepane  could  not  help  laughing.  "Yes,  dear  Dmtri, 
I  am  a  man,  neither  better  nor  worse  than  you;  and  if  I 
had  the  right  to  command — which  right,  however,  I  do 
not  recognize — I  would  order  you  to  call  me  Stepane. 
You  may  call  me  what  you  like,  but  I  warn  you  that  the 
of  ten  er  you  drop  the  'Excellency'  the  more  you  will 
please  me." 

"Ah,  I  thank  your  Excellency  for  allowing  me  to  do  as 
I  like,  for  I  cannot  forget  the  respect  due  your  Excellen- 
cy; and  when  your  Excellency  comes  to  your  senses, 
perhaps  your  Excellency  might  punish  me  for  want  of 
respect." 

"  That's  it!  now  you  are  satisfied.  And  when  are  you 
going  to  bring  me  the  hundred  thousand  roubles." 


SELF-ABNEGATION.  145 


"  If  Your  Excellency  could  do  with  fifty  thousand?'* 

"  No." 

"Sixty  thousand?" 

"No." 

"  Perhaps  I  could  scrape  together  eighty  thousand." 

"  I  believe  you  are  driving  a  bargain  with  me." 

"Sometimes,"  insinuated  the  faithful  steward,  "what 
they  charge  you  one  hundred  thousand  roubles  for  they 
will  let  me  have  for  eighty  thousand;  and  if  Your  Excel- 
lency will  only  allow  me  to  manage  the  transaction. ..." 

"  That  is  impossible.     I  want  to  make  a  present." 

"A  present!  "  groaned  the  steward,  "  when  it  is  so  hard 
for  me  now  to  make  two  ends  meet! " 

"  You  know  I  don't  like  meanness.  To  speak  in  your 
own  language,  noblesse  oblige" 

In  about  ten  minutes  Dmtri  returned,  bringing  with  him 
the  hundred  thousand  roubles. 

"  This  is  all  that  I  have  saved." 

"  What  do  you  mean?" 

"  Well,  when  I  see  Your  Excellency  throwing  your 
money  out  of  the  windows,  I  try  to  catch  some  of  it." 

"  Good,  honest  Dmtri!  give  me  your  hand!  " 

But  Dmtri  drew  back,  throwing  a  look  of  astonishment 
at  his  master.  He  fell  on  his  knees  at  Stepane's  feet, 
took  the  hand  that  his  master  had  offered  him  and  pressed 
it  to  his  lips. 

"  How  difficult  it  will  be,"  thought  the  Count,  "  to  save 
the  Russian  people  from  their  servile  customs,  and  to 
inculcate  in  their  breasts  sentiments  of  equality  and  lib- 
erty !  Am  I  myself  sure  that  I  have  lost  all  my  preju- 
dice of  caste  ?" 

His  invested  property  amounted  to  three  millions  of 
roubles.  He  had  wasted  about  as  much  again. 

He  put  the  list  of  his  property  and  the  hundred  thou- 
sand roubles  in  his  pocket,  ordered  his  coupd,  and  went 
out. 

10 


146  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

JEALOUSY. 

A  QUARTER  of  an  hour  later,  Stepane  was  in  Wanda's 
boudoir.  He  found  there  Raymond  Chabert,  who  had 
brought  with  him  the  package  of  letters  that  he  had 
received  at  Geneva  ;  for  it  was  the  eve  of  the  Princess's 
twenty-first  birthday. 

When  Litzanoff  first  entered  the  room,  he  appeared 
perfectly  self-possessed  ;  but  at  the  sight  of  Raymond, 
the  fire  that  had  devoured  his  heart  for  two  years  burst 
forth  in  flames  of  jealousy. 

He  could  hardly  speak  ;  his  nostrils  trembled ;  his 
upper  lip  was  drawn  back  from  his  teeth  like  a  savage 
beast. 

Raymond  looked  at  Litzanoff  with  wonder  and  aston- 
ishment. "Who  can  this  strange  creature  be,"  he 
thought,  "  who  loves  the  Princess,  and  dares  show  it 
in  this  outrageous  manner  ?  Can  it  be  possible  that  she 
loves  him  ?" 

This  suspicion  sent  a  pang  to  his  heart.  It  was  not 
jealousy  that  he  felt,  but  a  deep  despair.  He  felt  that  he 
ought  to  leave  the  room,  and  give  place  to  the  new  comer; 
and  yet  he  was  as  if  fastened  to  his  seat  by  some  unseen 
power.  He  wished  to  go,  and  he  could  not.  How- 
ever, he  saw  how  ridiculous  the  situation  was,  and  in  an 
agitated  voice  he  asked: 

"  Have  you  any  commands  for  me,  Wanda  Petrowna?  " 

"No,  thanks,"  she  replied,  giving  him  her.  hand,  and 
bending  upon  him  her  tender  glance;  for  she  guessed  the 
thoughts  that  passed  through  his  mind,  and  she  wished 
by  that  sympathetic  look  to  soothe  the  trouble  that  he 
seemed  to  feel. 

But  Litzanoff  noticed  that  look.  A  sigh  burst  from  his 
lips  which  sounded  like  a  groan. 

Raymond  left  the  room.     When  Stepane  and  Wanda 


JEALOUSY. 


found  themselves  together  and  alone,  they  felt  over- 
whelmed by  that  feeling  which  paralyzes  the  brain,  con- 
tracts the  heart,  and  shatters  the  nerves. 

They  dared  not  look  upon  one  another;  they  dared  not 
speak.  They  feared  lest  the  utterance  of  one  word,  the 
interchange  of  one  glance,  would  drive  them  irresistibly 
into  each  others'  arms. 

Wanda — that  brave  woman  who  never  trembled — 
feared  this  man  who  loved  her.  She  forced  herself  to 
break  this  dangerous  silence. 

"Well?"  she  said,  affecting  an  indifferent  manner, 
"  what  have  you  been  doing  all  this  time?  I  have  not  seen 
you  for  a  long  while.  Padlewsky  told  me  that  you  were 
devouring  books  on  socialism." 

But  Stepane  heard  not  a  word. 

"Who  is  this  gentleman?"  he  asked  roughly. 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  That  Frenchman." 

"  He  is  an  engineer." 

"  It  seems  to  me  I  have  seen  him  somewhere.'* 

"I  don't  see  how  that  is  possible;  he  has  only  been  in 
Russia  for  six  months,  and  in  Petersburg  but  within  the 
last  day  or  so." 

"  Do  you  know  him  well?" 

*'  Yes.  He  has  been  laying  out  a  railroad  in  Southern 
Russia,  that  goes  directly  through  my  father's  property; 
so  of  course  we  were  obliged  to  make  his  acquaintance. 
And  besides — he  is  one  of  us." 

Litzanoff  laid  his  hand  upon  the  little  package  of  pa- 
pers that  Raymond  had  left;  as  he  did  so  he  watched 
Wanda  atten  tively. 

"  Are  these  socialist  pamphlets?"  he  asked. 

"I  think  not." 

"  It  is  probably  the  plan  of  the  railroad,  and  as  I  have 
a  great  deal  of  land  in  the  Ukraine,  this  railroad  may  af- 
fect my  property,  too." 

"  You  are  taking  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  the  man- 
agement of  your  affairs  just  now,  are  you  not?  " 

"  Yes,  a  great  deal." 


118  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Have  you  entirely  come  over  to  our  way  of  think- 
ing?" 

"  I  hope  so.  Will  you  let  me  look  at  the  plan  of  this 
railroad?  " 

"That  is  not  a  plan;  it  is  a  letter." 

Stepane  grew  livid. 

"  My  dear  friend,  my  brother!  "  cried  Wanda,  "  what 
is  the  matter  with  you?" 

"Nothing.  I  know  I  am  ridiculous.  Look!  here  are 
a  hundred  thousand  roubles  for  your  work;  and  I  intend 
to  give  my  whole  fortune  to  the  same  object.  Good- 
bye! " 

"Stepane!  Stepane!  you  shall  not  leave  me." 

"Why  not?"  he  asked,  looking  her  full  in  the  face  for 
the  first  time. 

"Because  you  are  mad,  and  madmen  cannot  be  al- 
lowed to  go  at  large." 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  am  very  calm;  don't  you  see  that  I 
am?" 

"  Stepane,  I  see  your  whole  heart." 

"Well,  what  do  you  see  there?" 

"  Why  make  me  tell  you,  when  you  dare  not  tell  me!  " 

"That  man  loves  you!"  said  Stepane,  in  a  choking 
voice.  "  I  know  it.  And  he  is  jealous  of  me.  Have  you 
given  him  the  right  to  be  jealous?" 

"  No  more  than  I  have  to  you;  but  you  take  the  right," 
said  Wanda,  laughing. 

"  Don't  laugh;  it  pains  me.  It  is  true,  I  have  no  right 
to  be  jealous.  Forgive  me,  Wanda.  I  love  you  pas- 
sionately. I  am  ridiculous,  unjust,  wild — yes,  wild.  Just 
now  I  could  scarcely  keep  myself  from  flying  at  that 
Frenchman,  who  looked  at  you  with  such  eager  eyes." 

"  Remember  our  agreement,  Stepane.  I  offered  you 
a  sisterly  love,  and  you  accepted  it.  Those  are  our 
terms,  and  we  must  keep  th$m;  otherwise  it  will  be  im- 
possible for  me  to  see  you." 

But  these  words,  instead  of  soothing  Stepane,  roused 
him  to  greater  fury. 

"Is  this  fellow  married?" 


JEALOUSY.  149 


"  No." 

"Then  you  may  fall  in  love  with  him;  perhaps  you  are 
already  in  love  with  him." 

*'  I  have  a  real  friendship  for  him,  as  I  have  for  you." 

"  As  you  have  for  me!  I  do  not  want  an  affection  ex- 
actly like  the  one  you  give  to  another  man." 

"  Why  not?  " 

"  You  ask  me  why  not  ?  Because  a  woman  can  only 
love  one  man.  And  the  love  that  I  feel  for  you  is  the 
most  absolute,  the  most  violent,  the  most  jealous  love  I 
ever  felt  for  any  one  in  my  life.  Tell  me  the  truth:  if 
this  man  loves  you,  and  you  love  him,  I  will  leave  you 
forever  !" 

Wanda  said  not  a  word. 

"  Ah,  I  understand  your  silence  ! "  cried  Stepane,  in 
despair. 

"  I  do  not  love  him  as  I  do  you,"  murmured  Wanda, 
in  a  low,  trembling  tone,  which  resounded  in  Litzanoff 's 
heart,  and  made  him  tremble  in  every  limb. 

He  tried  to  throw  his  arms  around  her,  but  she  drew 
back,  and  pale,  trembling,  she  said:  "  Do  not  touch  me, 
or  I  will  go  away,  and  you  shall  never  see  me  again. 
You  forget  Nadege." 

"  No;  this  very  morning  Nadege  came  to  me  and  pro- 
posed a  divorce.  She  knows  that  I  love  you." 

Wanda's  face  showed  the  deepest  anxiety.  "  Wh&t!  " 
she  exclaimed,  "  would  she  consent  to  a  separation?  and 
have  vou  allowed  her  to  see  this  love  of  yours?" 

"Yes." 

"  If  she  did  propose  it,  it  was  only  to  try  you.  She 
wanted  to  find  out  the  truth.  A  separation!  Poor  child! 
it  would  kill  her.  No,  no,  you  shall  never  sacrifice 
Nadoge  ;  I  will  not  have  it.  And  besides,  I  cannot 
marry  you.  I  have  taken  a  solemn  oath  never  to  marry." 

"You?" 

"  Yes." 

"  When?     Why  did  you  do  it?  " 

"I  cannot  tell  you." 

"  It  is  not  so." 


150  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  It  is." 

"  You  have  taken  an  oath  ?  To  whom  ?  To  this 
Frenchman,  I  suppose." 

"  No,  to  the  Revolutionary  Committee." 

"  And  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  oath  ?" 

"  The  meaning  of  it  is  that  the  apostles  of  this  great 
cause  must  be  men  and  women  free  from  all  family  ties  ; 
with  them  the  passion  for  humanity  must  absorb  every 
other  passion.  If  a  woman  loves,  she  cannot  keep  a 
secret  from  the  man  she  loves." 

Litzanoff,  who,  in  despite  of  his  fiery  nature,  had  in  some 
respects  a  really  noble  character,  felt  himself  overwhelmed 
by  the  simplicity  with  which  "Wanda  spoke  of  her  great 
sacrifice.  He  felt  how  low,  how  vile  he  was  to  speak  to 
such  a  woman  of  his  own  personal  sufferings. 

"  Forgive  me  1 "  he  cried.  "  I  understand  that  you  can- 
not lower  yourself  to  my  level ;  but  try  to  lift  me  up  to 
you.  I  thought  my  heart  was  inaccessible  to  any  noble 
thought ;  my  education  was  terribly  perverted." 

"  That  does  not  matter,  dear  Stepane.  You  will  have 
only  the  less  to  forget.  We  nihilists  withdraw  our 
young  men  from  the  universities,  because  they  only  learn 
respect  for  official  authority,  for  official  science,  for  offi- 
cial history.  In  one  word,  they  are  taught  at  the  public 
schools  everything  that  we  are  trying  to  undermine." 

""Well,  I  may  at  least  be  allowed  to  model  my  mind 
after  yours,  since  that  is  the  only  thing  you  will  allow 
me."  " 

"  Yes,  Stepane  ;  were  we  free,  I  would  allow  no  more, 
for  the  most  violent  passions  are  those  which  last  the 
least;  because  your  heart,  you  say  yourself,  is  worn  out, 
and  perhaps  this  love  of  yours  is  but  the  result  of  the 
obstacles  that  separate  us." 

"Ah,  Wanda! "  cried  Stepane,  "give  me  one  kiss — 
only  one — and  you  can  take  my  life;  or,  if  you  will  have 
it  so,  I  will  disappear  from  the  face  of  the  earth  forever. 
Wanda!  I  am,  as  it  were,  bewitched;  one  kiss  will  break 
the  charm,  and  my  reason  will  return  to  me." 

Wanda,  exhausted  by  this  long  struggle,  did  not  draw 


JEALOUSY.  151 


back.  Fascinated  by  his  intense  desire,  she  stood  still, 
but  she  murmured  with  trembling  lips:  "  I  do  not  want 
to — I  do  not  want  to." 

He  suddenly  seized  her  in  his  sinewy  arms.  At  his 
touch,  Wanda  shuddered,  and  tried  to  free  herself. 
"No!  no!"  she  cried. 

"I  will  have  one  kiss!  "  said  Litzan  off  hoarsely;  "I 
will  have  one — only  one!"  and  he  lightly  touched  her 
lips  with  his. 

Wanda  seized  a  little  dagger  that  she  always  wore  at 
her  waist,  and  struck  Litzanoff  with  all  her  strength  on 
the  shoulder. 

He  did  not  even  feel  the  pain.  He  crushed  the  young 
girl's  lips  against  his  own  in  one  long  passionate  kiss. 

"  I  hate  you!  "  she  cried,  indignant,  enraged,  magnifi- 
cent in  her  anger.  "You  are  infamous!  leave  me!  " 

But  Litzanoff  heard  not  a  word;  he  had  fainted  dead 
away,  with  the  blood  streaming  from  his  wound. 

Wanda  rang  the  bell.     Katia  answered  it  immediately. 

"  Take  care  of  this  man,  my  dear  Katia." 

"  Is  it  Count  Litzanoff?     What  has  happened?  " 

"Nothing;  he  had  a  rush  of  blood  to  the  head;  I  bled 
him.  If  he  asks  for  me,  tell  him  I  cannot  see  him." 

As  she  was  turning  away,  she  said:  "When  he 
comes  to  himself,  give  him  this  roll  of  bank-notes.  He 
wished  to  give  them  to  the  cause,  but  I  will  accept 
nothing  from  him." 

Stepane  was  recovering  his  senses  as  he  heard  these 
last  words. 

"  If  you  will  not  accept  them  I  will  throw  them  into  the 
fire  !  "  he  cried. 

Wanda  withdrew  without  even  looking  at  him. 

As  soon  as  she  was  alone,  her  angry  eyes  grew  wet 
with  tears. 

Suddenly,  she  heard  Katia  give  a  cry.  She  listened  ; 
the  door  of  her  room  flew  open,  and  Katia  appeared,  white 
with  terror.  "Come!  come  quickly!"  she  exclaimed. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  asked  Wanda,  rushing  into 
the  other  room.  She  saw  Litzanoff  lying  at  full  length 


152  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

on  the  floor,  apparently  dead.     He  had  just  plunged  the 
dagger  that  Wanda  had  thrown  on  the  ground,  into  his ' 
breast. 

"  Stepane!  "  cried  Wanda.     He  opened  his  eyes. 

"  Forgive  me,  Wanda!  "  he  could  barely  articulate  ;  "  I 
could  not  live,  with  you  angry  with  me."  A  strange  smile 
passed  over  his  face. 

"Call  Packline,"  said  Wanda  to  Katia,  who  ran  out  of 
the  room. 

Wanda  knelt  down,  drew  the  dagger  out  of  the  wound, 
and  stanched  the  blood  with  her  handkerchief. 

"  Stepane  !  Stepane  !  "  she  repeated  in  despair  ;  "  do 
not  die  !  I  love  you  !  I  cannot  let  you  die — I  will  not  let 
you  die  !  "  and  she  covered  his  pale  face  with  kisses. 

He  smiled. 

At  that  moment,  Packline,  the  physician  attached  to 
Prince  Kryloff 's  establishment,  entered.  He  sounded  the 
wound  and  announced  that  there  was  no  immediate  dan- 
ger. The  blade  had  passed  along  the  rib,  and  had 
not  reached  the  heart.  He  stopped  the  bleeding  and 
dressed  the  wound. 

"  You  will  be  able  to  be  about  in  three  days,"  he  said, 
"  if  you  are  not  imprudent." 

But  how  to  get  the  wounded  man  home!  In  order  to 
hide  his  discolored  clothes,  they  wrapped  him  in  a  fur 
mantle. 

"  When  shall  I  see  you?  "  he  asked,  in  a  low  voice. 

"I  shall  try  and  get  off  for  a  moment  to-morrow,  "  an- 
swered Wanda;  "but  if  I  cannot,  then  the  day  after." 

Stepane  closed  his  eyes.  "Will  you  forgive  me?"  he 
said  very  low. 

"  Yes." 

She  gave  him  her  hand.  He  pressed  it  to  his  lips,  res- 
pectfully, reverently. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  153 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE    LETTER   FROM   GENEVA. 

As  soon  as  Stepane  had  gone,  Wanda  fell  powerless 
upon  the  divan.  She  remained  a  few  moments,  with  her 
head  thrown  back,  in  an  attitude  of  overwhelming  des- 
pair. Sob  after  sob  seemed  stifled  in  her  throat.  Katia 
was  watching  her  with  great  uneasiness;  but  she  dared 
not  speak  to  her.  At  last  she  bent  over  her  and  took  her 
hand. 

"Be  brave,  sister,"  she  said.  "You  have  forgotten 
that  letter  from  Geneva;  doubtless  it  comes  from  our 
friends,  the  poor  exiles." 

At  these  words  Wanda  aroused  herself  and  said,  "  Give 
me  the  letter." 

She  broke  the  seals  of  the  envelope;  but  as  soon  as  she 
had  read  the  first  words  of  the  enclosure  she  uttered  a 
piercing  cry,  clasped  the  paper  to  her  heart,  and  fainted 
dead  away. 

The  bulky  envelope  contained,  as  Raymond  supposed, 
a  manuscript.  It  ran  as  follows: 

"  MY  WELL-BELOVED  DAUGHTER: 

"  It  is  your  mother  who  writes  to  you — your  mother 
whom  you  believed  to  be  dead;  your  mother  who  from 
the  day  when  she  was  cruelly  torn  from  the  child  that  she 
adored  has  never  ceased  to  think  of  her. 

"  I  have  suffered  horribly  in  the  past  seventeen  years, 
but  my  keenest  suffering  has  been  my  separation  from 
you,  my  darling  Wanda.  Thanks  to  our  friends,  I  have 
often  heard  of  you.  I  know  how  beautiful  you  are,  and 
I  know  that  the  loveliness  of  your  person  is  but  the  re- 
flection of  the  beauty  of  your  soul. 

"We  sent  you  Catherine  Lawinska.  She  does  not 
know  that  I  am  your  mother,  but  she  has  been  in  the  habit 
of  writing  frequently  to  my  friend,  Michael  Federoff,  and 


154:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

every  letter  was  full  of  you.  How  I  have  devoured  those 
letters,  which  showed  me  that  you  gradually  became  a 
rebel,  an  enemy  to  oppression,  a  lover  of  the  victims  of 
tyranny! 

"  Now  I  can  tell  you  my  sad  story:  I  know  that  you 
will  understand  me,  will  pity  me,  will  excuse  ire.  I  have 
not  written  to  you  before  to  tell  you  that  I  still  lived,  be- 
cause I  wished  first  to  be  perfectly  sure  of  your  senti- 
ments. I  feared  your  father,  our  persecutor;  I  feared  the 
police  of  Petersburg. 

"Ah,  my  Wanda!  if  you  could  but  read  my  heart!  It 
overflows  with  tenderness  and  joy.  How  I  long  to  press 
you  to  my  bosom,  and  to  cover  your  beautiful  head  with 
a  mother's  kisses! " 

"Your  mother, 

"ALEXANDRA  KKYLOFF." 

Wanda  read  this  letter  with  inexpressible  emotion, 
and  then  threw  herself  into  Katia's  arms,  weeping  vio- 
lently. 

"  That  was  the  lady,"  exclaimed  Katia,  "that  I  used  to 
meet  so  often  at  Michael  Federoff  s.  Do  you  not  remem- 
ber how  often  I  have  spoken  to  you  about  her  and  her 
splendid,  large  dark  eyes?" 

"Is  she  beautiful  still?" 

"  She  looks  like  you,  but  her  face  has  a  sad,  almost  se- 
vere expression." 

Wanda  took  up  the  manuscript  that  had  been  enclosed 
within  the  letter,  and  commenced  reading  it.  This  is  what 
she  read: 

"  At  sixteen  years  of  age  I  was  traveling  in  Italy,  where 
I  met  Prince  Kryloff.  He  was  a<  thorough  gentleman,  a 
great  lord,  elegant  in  his  manners  and  very  fascinating. 
He  was  passionately  in  love  with  me.  He  was  very  gen- 
tle and  very  tender.  He  was  heir  to  an  old  name  and 
princely  fortune;  in  one  word,  he  possessed  every  hing 
that  could  dazzle  and  charm  a  young  girl.  I  thought  that 
I  loved  him,  and  it  gave  me  great  happiness  to  promise  to 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  155 

be  his  wife.   The  first  year  of  our  marriage  was  perfect  bliss. 

"  Nicolas  Markewitch,  the  Prince's  private  physician, 
was  an  old  man  and  entirely  devoted  to  him.  One  day 
he  said  to  the  Prince  : 

"  '  I  am  growing  old  and  my  health  is  uncertain.  Soon 
you  will  have  to  find  a  successor  to  me.  There  is  one 
of  your  serfs  who  has  a  very  remarkable  mind  ;  I  have 
been  attending  to  his  education  for  some  time  past ;  if 
you  will  send  him  to  the  university  for  a  couple  of  years, 
he  will  make  a  first-rate  doctor.' 

"  *  What  is  his  name?'  asked  the  Prince. 

" '  Michael  Federoff.' 

"  The  Prince  frowned.  *  Is  he  the  son  of  that  scoun- 
drel Federoff,  who  helped  the  Barkeloff  peasantry  in  their 
insurrection  against  me?' 

"  *  I  am  sorry  to  say  he  is,  your  Excellency,'  an- 
swered Markewitch.  '  But  he  surely  is  not  responsible  for 
his  father's  actions  ;  he  has  an  excellent  heart  and  a  very 
loyal  nature,  and  it  seems  to  me  a  pity  to  throw  away  this 
young  fellow's  powers  which  could  be  so  usefully  em- 
ployed in  your  service.' 

"'Markewitch  is  right,'  said  T,  happening  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  interview  ;  *  let  him  come  here,  and  then  you 
can  see  what  you  think  of  him.' 

"The  Prince  granted  my  request.  Michael  had  a  fine, 
open  countenance,  lively  and  yet  grave.  There  was  a 
great  deal  of  power  in  his  face. 

"  The  Prince  said  that  no  Russian  university  would  ad- 
mit a  serf.  I  proposed  that  he  be  sent  out  of  the  country 
to  finish  his  education,  and  he  was  accordingly  sent  to 
Prague.  He  distinguished  himself  so  much  there  at  the 
school  of  medicine,  that  his  fellow-students  forwarded  an 
address  to  the  Prince  begging  him  to  give  Federoff  his 
freedom.  Michael  also  wrote  to  the  Prince,  entreating 
him  most  humbly  for  the  same  favor. 

"  When  he  received  these  two  letters,  Kryloff  flew  into 
the  most  terrible  rage,  and. when  I  asked  what  was  the 
matter,  he  threw  the  two  letters  at  me.  '  Look  ! '  he 
exclaimed,  *  how  far  your  protege  can  push  his  ingrati- 


156  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

tude  !  Blood  will  tell.  The  son  of  a  rebel !  I  have 
spent  three  thousand  roubles  on  his  education,  and  now 
he  wants  me  to  give  him  his  freedom  !' 

"  I  tried  in  vain  to  soothe  the  Prince's  rage.  *  I  can 
sell  one  of  my  jewels,'  I  said  ;  '  the  smallest  one  that  I 
possess  will  pay  for  all  the  expense  you  have  incurred.' 
He  would  not  listen  to  me,  and  giew  very  angry,  while 
he  accused  me  of  sympathizing  with  the  liberalism  of 
the  day,*which  would  surely  in  time,  he  said,  bring  about 
a  revolution.  This  was  in  1857.  Alexander  had  just 
come  to  the  throne,  and  every  one  was  talking  of  his 
liberal  views,  and  of  his  projects  of  emancipation. 

"  I  dared  say  to  the  Prince  one  day,  that,  as  he  would 
probably  soon  lose  all  control  over  this  young  man  any- 
how, it  might  be  as  well  to  gain  his  good-will  by  giving 
him  his  freedom  in  a  manner  which  would  insure  his 

fratitude.  But  my  persistency  seemed  to  aggravate  him 
eyond  control  ;  however,  in  the  afternoon  I  went  to  see 
the  pope,  who  returned  to  the  charge,  and  induced  the 
Prince  at  last  to  send  Federoff  to  Paris  to  perfect  him- 
self in  his  profession. 

"  All  that  year  I  tried  to  bend  the  Prince's  will,  and 
induce  him  to  liberate  Michael. 

"'Promise  me,  I  said  to  him  one  day,  'that  if  I  give 
you  a  son  you  will  give  me  in  return  Michael  Federoff 's 
freedom." 

"'What  a  singular  interest  you  take  in  that  boy!'  he 
answered,  laughingly.  '  Yes,  yes,  I  will  promise  you.' 

"  I  was  in  such  a  weak  state  of  health  that  they  were 
anxious  about  me,  and  I  suggested  to  Marke witch  that  it 
would  be  better  for  him  to  have  a  consulting  physician, 
and  that  as  it  would  soon  be  Federoff 's  vacation,  he 
could  summon  him  from  Paris.  '  That  would  be  an  ex- 
cellent thing  to  do,'  answered  Markewitch;  'and  besides, 
his  poor  mother  is  in  wretched  health,  and  is  pining  to 
see  her  son  before  she  dies.' 

"  One  morning  as  I  was  taking  my  daily  walk,  I  direct- 
ed my  footsteps  towards  the  isla*  of  the  poor  woman.  It 

*  Russian  cottage. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  157 

was  the  first  time  that  I  had  ever  set  my  foot  within  a  peas- 
ant's house.  I  was  shocked  at  the  wretchedness  that  I 
saw  there.  The  old  Federoff,  sullen,  downcast,  was 
standing  in  the  doorway.  His  continued  life  was  due  to 
extraordinary  strength  of  constitution,  for  he  had  re- 
ceived one  hundred  strokes  of  the  knout  as  punishment 
tor  resistance  to  the  orders  of  his  overseer  ;  and  but  few 
men  have  been  known  to  survive  that. 

"  When  I  told  him  the  news  about  his  son,  he  sneered. 
'How  ?'  said  I, 'are  you  not  proud  of  Michael's  learning, 
and  of  his  splendid  mind?'  'Ah,  Your  Excellency!'  he 
answered,  '  what  business  has  a  slave  with  a  splendid 
mind?  The  more  he  knows  the  more  does  his  bondage 
weigh  upon  him.'  I  saw  that  he  was  right,  and  I  told 
him  that  I  hoped  his  son  would  soon  be  free. 

"When  I  entered  the  cabin  I  found  the  sick  woman 
lying  on  a  bed  above  the  stove,*  covered  with  miserable 
rags. 

" '  Here  is  the  Princess,'  said  Federoff.  If  the  Virgin 
Mary  had  come  to  see  her  in  person  the  woman  would 
not  have  been  more  astonished;  for  she  had  heard  of 
celestial  visions,  but  never  that  a  Princess  could  lower 
herself  so  far  as  to  pay  a  visit  to  a  serf.  When  I  spoke  to 
her  of  her  son,  the  tears  commenced  to  flow.  'I  shall 
never  see  him,'  she  sighed.  '  Yes,  poor  creature,'  said  I, 
'you  shall  see  him;  I  will  send  Markewitch  to  you,  and 
tell  him  to  take  care  of  you  and  make  you  well,  so  that 
you  can  be  on  your  feet  again  when  your  son  comes 
home.'  I  thought  to  myself  that  if  the  Prince  refused  to 
send  for  him,  I  could  easily  forward  him  the  money  nec- 
essary for  the  journey.  When  I  left  those  poor  people, 
their  faces  wore  a  brighter  and  more  hopeful  look,  and 
I  felt  an  inward  satisfaction  such  as  I  had  never  before 
experienced. 

"  I  have  related  all  this  to  you  in  detail,  dear  Wanda, 
because  it  is  an  important  date  in  my  life.  In  my  child- 
hood I  had  often  heard  my  countrymen  talk  al  out  the 

*  The  Russian  peasants  sleep  in  winter  upon  a  sort  of  shelf  placed  a  short 
distance  above  their  stoves. 


158  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

exactions  of  the  Russians  and  their  cruelty  towards  the 
Poles,  but  it  made  no  lasting  impression  upon  my  mind; 
now  for  the  first  time  I  began  to  think  about  the  social 
system  in  Russia.  I  asked  myself,  what  right  have  a  few 
men  to  own  the  entire  land,  and  enjoy  all  the  advantages 
that  that  gives,  without  doing  the  least  work,  while  those 
who  do  work  not  only  own  no  land  whatever,  but  have 
not  even  bread  enough  to  keep  up  their  strength?  I  heard 
several  persons  speak  of  the  socialist  doctrines.  I  sent  to 
Kieff  to  send  me  every  book  which  was  sold  secretly 
there.  When  the  books  came  I  read  them,  and  they  re- 
vealed to  me  a  whole  new  world. 

"  I  told  the  Prince  that  I  was  very  wretched,  very  de- 
pressed; and  at  last  he  consented  to  send  for  Michael 
Federoff,  so  that  he  could  assist  Markewitch  in  caring  for 
me. 

"I  was  alone  in  the  drawing-room  when  Federoff  ar- 
rived. It  had  been  three  years  since  I  had  seen  him  last. 
His  success  at  the  university,  his  intercourse  with  men, 
had  entirely  done  away  with  all  his  former  servility  of 
manner.  He  stood  before  me,  a  handsome,  distinguished 
gentleman.  I  received  him  as  my  equal,  and  asked  him 
to  be  seated.  He  was  perfectly  unembarrassed,  and  we  en- 
tered into  conversation,  which  he  opened  by  thanking  me 
in  the  warmest  terms  for  my  kindness  to  his  mother. 

"  The  Prince  had  been  out  hunting;  he  came  into  the 
room,  and  looked  curiously  at  Michael,  whom  he  took  for 
some  gentleman  of  the  neighborhood.  'Well,'  said  I, 
laughing,  'don't  you  recognize  the  doctor?'  'What  doc- 
tor?' '  Doctor  Michael  Federoff.'  I  shall  never  forget 
the  look  that  he  cast  upon  poor  Michael,  who  stood  up, 
evidently  awaiting  the  storm  about  to  break. 

'"What !'  cried  the  Prince,  'is  this  gentleman  whom 
I  find  sitting  in  my  drawing-room,  talking  to  my  wife  as 
if  he  were  one  of  us,  is  this  gentleman  the  son  of  my 
serf?' 

"  I  asked  him  to  sit  down.  '  Dear,'  I  said,  '  I  was 
asking  him  about  his  studies.'  'Who  gave  you  permis- 
sion,' cried  out  the  Prince,  '  to  clothe  yourself  in  this  man- 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.       159 

ner?  Go  put  on  the  livery  that  befits  your  rank.  Then 
perhaps  I  may  allow  you  to  present  yourself  before  me 
and  the  Princess.'  '  But,'  I  said,  '  my  dear  husband,  you 
forget  that  he  has  graduated  as  a  physician,  and  is  treated 
with  perfect  equality  by  every  one.'  'What  is  that  to 
me?  He  is  my  serf,  and  I  intend  that  he  shall  behave  him- 
self with  all  the  deference  that  a  serf  owes  to  his  master.' 
And  as  he  spoke,  he  strode  up  and  down  the  room,  over- 
turning the  chairs,  gesticulating  with  his  hands.  Sudden- 
ly stopping  in  front  of  me,  he  exclaimed:  'What  books 
are  those  that  I  found  this  morning  in  your  room?' 

"  '  They  are  some  books  that  I  borrowed,'  I  stammered. 

"  'Who  lent  them  to  you?  This  famous  doctor  I  suppose. 
I  wager  he  is  mixed  up  in  this  socialist  movement.  He 
has  got  all  these  notions  in  Paris,  and  he  sent  you  those 
books.'  'Indeed  he  did  not.'  'Who  did,  then?  tell 


me: 


' ' 


"  I  was  so  frightened  I  could  not  speak.  He  went  on 
in  this  way  for  a  long  time,  raging,  overturning  every- 
thing in  his  way — declaiming  against  the  insubordination 
of  the  serfs,  against  Michael,  against  his  rebellious  father, 
against  the  disobedience  to  himself.  He  was  angry  with 
me  for  the  first  time,  and  I  fainted. 

"  I  became  very  ill.  Markewitch  was  sent  for,  and  be- 
coming very  uneasy,  insisted  upon  summoning  Michael 
to  his  aid.  It  was  some  time  before  he  could  be  found. 
The  Prince  was  in  a  rage  at  his  delay.  At  last  he  came, 
dressed  in  the  coarse  garb  of  the  serf ;  but  this  vulgar 
costume  could  not  conceal  the  beauty  of  his  features,  the 
intelligence  that  beamed  in  his  eye. 

"'Where  have  you  been?'  screamed  the  Prince.  *  My 
wife's  life  is  in  danger,  and  you  delay  to  come  to  her  as- 
sistance.' 'I  was  looking  for  some  serfs  clothes,'  an- 
swered Michael:  'I  had  not  any  of  my  own,  Your  Ex- 
cellency.' '  Very  well,  doctor,'  answered  the  Prince, 
sarcastically  ;  '  you  have  an  opportunity  to  prove  your 
skill.  If  anything  happens,  I  hold  you  responsible  for 
it.' 

"I  was  ill  for  three  days  and  nights,  and  at  last  my 


160  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

child's  life  was  sacrificed  to  mine.  The  child  was  a  boy. 
The  Prince  laid  all  the  blame  upon  Michael,  who  had 
watched  continually  by  my  bedside,  and  by  his  skill  and 
unremitting  care  had  saved  my  life.  And  do  you  know 
how  the  Prince  rewarded  him  ?  He  loaded  him  with 
chains,  and  had  him  locked  up  in  a  dungeon.  I  cried,  I 
begged,  I  fell  at  his  feet  in  vain.  Michael  was  thrown 
into  prison. 

"  From  that  moment,  I  felt  nothing  but  disgust  for 
my  husband.  One  day  I  told  him  that  it  was  he  who 
had  killed  my  child,  and  not  the  innocent  one  he  had 
kept  in  prison.  He  was  so  furious  I  thought  he  would 
murder  me.  After  that  my  life  was  a  perfect  hell.  My 
health  became  affected. 

"  I  induced  Markewitch  to  go  and  see  Federoff  in  his 
dungeon.     He  brought  me  back  word  that  Michael  bad 
been  ill,  but  was  now  better,  and  that  my  interest  in  his  ' 
welfare  supported  him  in  his  sufferings. 

"  As  soon  as  I  could,  when  the  Prince  was  absent,  I 
went  to  see  him  in  his  prison.  I  could  hardly  recognize 
him.  He  was  as  thin  as  a  ghost.  His  suffering,  his 
insulted  dignity,  had  imparted  to  his  bearing  an  air  that 
was  almost  sublime.  I  held  out  my  hand  to  him  ;  he 
pressed  it  between  his  own,  and  carried  it  to  his  lips. 

" '  Oh,  Your  Excellency  !  how  can  I  ever  repay  you  for 
the  happiness  your  presence  gives  me  ! ' 

"  'Michael,  my  brother! '  I  exclaimed,  '  can  you  pardon 
me  for  being  the  cause  of  all  your  trouble?'  '  I  pardon 
you?'  he  cried.  'You  area  nihilist,  Michael,  are  you 
not?  '  He  looked  at  me.  '  Are  you  afraid  of  me?  I  am 
a  nihilist  myself.'  'You?  you?  Your  Excellency?'  'Yes, 
I  am.'  '  Then,'  he  cried,  '  Russia  is  saved!  If  minds  like 
yours  can  see  the  power  of  our  ideas:  if  you,  one  of  the 
privileged  class,  acknowledge  the  justice  of  our  cause,  then 
we  shall  soon  see  the  renovation  of  our  barbarous  land.' 

"I  had  guessed  rightly;  he  belonged  to  the  new  school 
of  science  and  philosophy  which  was  beginning  to  take 
root  in  Russia.  He  was,  in  fact,  one  of  its  leaders. 

"  From  that  hour,  1  did  all  that  I  could  to  mitigate  Mi- 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  161 

chael's  sufferings.  I  sent  him,  through  Markewitch,  linen, 
food,  papers  and  books;  and  whenever  the  Prince  was  ab- 
sent from  home  I  went  to  see  him  myself.  Those  visits 
were  hours  of  ineffable  happiness.  There  was  no  feeling 
of  love  between  us  at  that  time;  his  gratitude  to  me,  my 
compassion  for  him,  drew  us  together,  and  we  discussed 
the  new  ideas  of  liberty  and  justice  with  which  we  both 
were  inspired. 

"  One  day  the  Prince  undertook  to  visit  the  prisons  in 
the  village.  While  I  was  sending  comforts  and  assist- 
ance to  Michael,  I  had  done  a  great  deal  for  the  other 
prisoners.  The  Prince  found  luxuries  in  every  cell.  He 
asked  who  had  sent  them,  and  he  was  informed  that  it 
was  the  Princess.  Then  came  a  scene;  but  I  merely  said 
to  him:  '  Will  you  kill  your  second  child?' 

"  The  Prince  grew  quiet.  He  yielded  to  my  entreaties, 
and  set  Michael  at  liberty. 

"You,  my  dear  daughter,  were  born  soon  after;  and 
although  he  desired  a  son,  your  exquisite  beauty  made  him 
love  you. 

"After  that,  I  spent  a  few  months  of  real  happiness. 
The  Prince  went  to  Paris  for  the  winter;  but  I  alleged 
the  health  of  my  child  as  sufficient  reason  to  keep  me  at 
home,  and  he  departed  by  himself.  My  whole  time  was 
taken  up  with  study,  and  with  the  care  of  you,  iny  child, 
whom  I  idolized. 

"  The  Prince  returned  home  in  the  spring.  One  day 
he  went  to  pay  a  visit  to  a  gentleman  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  returning  unexpectedly  found  me  and  Michael 
reading  a  work  of  Bakounin  in  the  library.  You  know 
that  his  rage  is  like  an  epileptic  fit.  He  seized  a  cane 
and  beat  Michael  violently.  It  was  his  right,  for  Michael 
was  his  serf.  I  cried  out  with  indignation,  and  he  rushed 
towards  me  to  beat  me  too;  but  Michael,  who  had  en- 
dured his  own  punishment  without  a  word,  threw  himself 
between  us,  and  said:  '  No,  Your  Excellency,  if  it  cost 
me  my  life  you  shall  not  strike  the  Princess,  for  in  an 
hour  afterwards  you  will  regret  it. ' 

"  The  Prince,  intoxicated  with  rage,  threw  himself  upon 
11 


162  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

my  defender;  but  suddenly  his  face  became  purple;  he 
tottered,  and  fell  heavily  to  the  floor. 

"  Michael,  still  suffering  from  the  effect  of  his  blows, 
lifted  him  up  and  cared  for  him.  For  two  days  and 
nights  he  never  left  his  bedside;  and  he  cured  him. 

"  This  accident  had  saved  Michael's  life.  But  the 
Prince  was  not  touched  by  the  serf's  devotion  to  him;  he 
was  a  serf,  and  devotion  was  part  of  a  serf's  duty.  As 
soon  as  the  Prince's  health  was  completely  reestablished, 
he  forgot  everything  that  he  owed  to  Federoff.  There 
was  no  insult  that  he  was  not  forced  to  submit  to,  and  as 
a  serf  he  had  no  right  to^complain.  The  Prince  always 
tried  to  humiliate  him  before  me.  How  often  I  have 
seen  the  blush  of  shame  mantle  that  noble  brow  ! 

"  One  day  I  said  to  him,  '  Michael,  I  cannot  stand  this 
any  longer.  Here  is  a  considerable  sum  of  money;  take 
it,  and  leave  the  country.  With  your  talent  you  can 
easily  make  a  way  for  yourself.  " 

"  At  these  words  he  grew  very  pale.  '  But  my  poor 
father,'  he  said,  '  my  sick  mother,  my  young  sister  Akon- 
lina — what  would  become  of  them?  I  am  afraid  the  Prince 
would  visit  his  anger  upon  them;  and  you  know  my 
father  is  not  very  submissive,  and  what  a  terrible  punish- 
ment he  has  already  received.  And  then,'  he  continued, 
in  a  lower  tone,  '  I  cannot  leave  you,  who  have  been  so 
good  to  me.  Besides,  the  little  Princess  needs  my  con- 
stant care.  I  love  the  child  as  if  she  were  my  own. 
Forgive  me  for  expressing  myself  so  familiarly;  your 
kindness  has  emboldened  me.'  I  gave  him  my  hand;  he 
knelt  down  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips. 

"Once  when  you  had  been  very  ill,  and  Michael's  care 
had  saved  you,  wild  with  joy,  forgetting  everything,  I 
threw  my  arms  around  his  neck  and  kissed  him.  At  that 
time  the  masters  and  mistresses  used  •  to  embrace 
their  serfs  ;  no  one  would  have  refused  to  kiss  his  serf 
at  Easter.  But  I  had  treated  Michael  as  my  equal,  and 
had  never  kissed  him,  lest  by  so  doing  I  might  recall  his 
slavery  to  his  mind.  That  embrace  of  mine  overwhelmed 
him  ;  he  fell  back,  as  pale  as  death,  in  a  chair.  Your 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.       163 

father  was  there.  He  looked  at  both  of  us ;  the  basest 
suspicion  —  ferocious  jealousy,  vengeance,  hate,  every 
evil  passion — seemed  concentrated  in  that  look.  '  Ah  ! ' 
cried  he,  '  this,  then,  is  the  result  of  your  socialism  !  The 
serf  faints  when  his  mistress  kisses  him  !  I  will  put  an 
end  to  all  this,  I  promise  you.  I  have  seen  your  little 
game,  Madame,  for  some  time.  My  wife,  the  Princess 
Kryloff,  in  love  with  a  serf !  What  a  noble  love  !  But, 
my  little  doves,  you  have  reckoned  without  your  host ;  I 
will  teach  you  what  it  is  to  betray  a  Kryloff  ! ' 

"As  long  as  your  health  needed  his  care,  Michael  was 
allowed  to  see  you  ;  but  one  morning  the  Prince  came 
into  my  room  and,  with  a  horrible  smile,  said  to  me  : 
'Your  lover  is  arrested  !' 

" '  Do  you  mean  Michael?  '  I  said,  feeling  myself  grow 
pale. 

"'Yes  ;  he  has  failed  in  his  respect  to  me;  he  has  dared 
to  love  you,  and  he  must  be  punished.' 

" '  Indeed,  he  does  not  love  me  in  the  way  you  think 
he  does  .  I  swear  to  you  he  does  not  !'  I  cried. 

"  '  Oh,  you  love  him  too  !  Look  at  yourself  in  the  glass! 
Would  you  turn  as  pale  as  that  if  I  told  you  I  was  going 
to  give  the  knout  to  another  man?' 

" '  The  knout !  you  are  going  to  give  the  knout  to 
Michael?' 

"'Yes.' 

"'No  !  no  !  you  shall  not  do  it  !  This  man  has  saved 
your  life — has  saved  your  child's  life.  I  implore  you  on 
my  knees,  spare  him  !  I  assure  you  that  I  have  no  feeling 
for  him  but  one  of  gratitude.' 

"  '  What !  gratitude  to  a  serf  ? ' 

" '  If  you  suspect  us,'  I  cried,  '  send  him  away  ;  but 
spare  the  savior  of  Wanda's  life  ! ' 

" '  It  is  out  of  my  power  to  save  him  ;  the  judges  have 
condemned  him  to  one  hundred  lashes  of  the  knout.' 

"'Then  he  is  condemned  to  death  !  He  is  innocent, 
perfectly  innocent.  He  has  never  said  one  word  to  me 
to  lead  me  to  think  that  he  loves  me.' 

" '  If  he  does  not  love  you,  your  manner  is  sufficient  to 
.convince  me  that  you  love  him,  and  that  is  enough.' 


164:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Then  I  completely  lost  control  of  myself  arid  screamed 
like  a  maniac  :  '  Tiger  !  barbarian  !  savage  ! '  I  do 
not  know  now  what  I  said  nor  what  he  answered.  I  can 
only  remember  these  words  :  'Yes,  you  shall  look  on  at 
his  punishment;  and  if  you  dare  to  refuse,  he  shall  have 
two  hundred  blows  instead  of  one.' 

"  That  day  was  one  of  the  darkest  of  my  wretched  life. 
The  horrible  scaffold  was  set  up  in  the  midst  of  the  mar- 
ket-place of  Barkileff.  It  was  a  kind  of  board,  low  to  the 
ground,  and  inclined  at  one  end,  upon  which  the  victim 
was  to  be  stretched. 

"  When  our  carriage  drove  up,  neither  the  condemned 
man  nor  his  executioner  had  as  yet  arrived.  About  a 
hundred  persons  had  assembled  to  witness  the  execution. 
A  dozen  or  more  Cossacks,  lance  in  hand,  kept  back  the 
people  at  a  respectful  distance. 

"  I  was  so  weak,  so  shattered,  that  I  could  with  diffi- 
culty keep  myself  from  swooning.  '  None  of  your  ridicu- 
lous affectations! '  said  the  Prince,  severely.  I  tried  to 
keep  back  my  tears,  as  I  gazed  upon  that  plank  stained 
with  blood,  upon  which  Michael  was  about  to  suffer; 
and  I  felt  that  henceforth  I  should  love  him  with  all  my 
strength,  with  all  my  heart,  with  all  my  soul. 

"A  few  moments  after  the  arrival  of  our  equipage,  the 
crowd  opened  to  give  way  to  a  man  whose  very  appear- 
ance made  me  shudder.  He  was  a  sort  of  Mameluke,  of 
herculean  proportions,  with  a  low  forehead,  high  cheek- 
bones, red  hair,  flat  nostrils,  and  the  eyes  of  a  beast.  His 
sleeves  were  rolled  up,  and  exposed  to  view  his  hairy, 
muscular  arms.  He  held  in  his  hands  a  collection  of 
thongs  that  he  seemed  carefully  to  select  and  sort.* 

" '  Who  is  that  maa? '  I  asked.'  " 

*  He  is  the  executioner,'  answered  the  Prince. 

"The   crowd  opened  a  second   time  to  give  way  to 

•The  knout  Is  a  long  leather  thong  soaked  in  a  strong  saturation  of  metal- 
filings,  and  finished  off  at  the  end  with  a  small  iron  hook.  This  metallic 
preparation  both  hardens  the  leather  and  renders  it  heavy.  The  two  edges  are 
turned  back  and  form  a  deep  groove.  After  the  executioner  has  laid  a  blow 
upon  the  back  of  the  criminal  he  draws  the  thong  horizontally  towards 
himself,  and  the  hook  burying  Itself  in  the  body,  brings  away  long  strips  of 
skin  and  flesh,  which  are  throwu  hither  and  thither  to  the  winds. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  165 

Michael,  who  appeared  between  two  soldiers,  accom- 
panied by  an  officer  of  the  police.  He  walked  with  a 
bold  step,  his  head  up  ;  never  had  I  seen  him  look  so 
handsome.  Why  could  I  not  fly  to  him,  tell  him  of  my 
love,  press  him  to  my  heart  ?  I  dared  not ;  the  least 
demonstration  on  my  part  would  have  doubled  his  chas- 
tisement. 

"  He  saw  me,  though.  His  pale  face  colored,  and  he 
sent  me  a  glance  that  thrilled  through  me  like  an  elec- 
tric shock.  My  eyes  sought  his  in  return;  and  in  that 
look  our  hearts  became  forever  one.  This  union  had  the 
scaffold  for  its  altar,  the  hangman  for  its  priest  ;  it  was 
the  union  of  two  rebels  who  vowed  there  an  implacable 
hatred  of  their  oppressors. 

"  The  Prince  detected  that  glance,  and  said  to  me,  in 
French  :  '  Look  at  him  well,  Madame,  for  in  all  probability 
you  see  him  for  the  last  time.' 

"The  police  officer  unrolled  a  paper,  and  read  aloud 
the  sentence  whic.h  condemned  Michael  Federoff  to  re- 
ceive ninety-nine  blows  of  the  knout,*  as  punishment  for 
repeated  and  grave  injuries  and  misdemeanors  against 
his  liege  lord  and  master. 

"  Michael  listened  to  this  sentence  with  a  smile  of  com- 
passion upon  his  lips.  Having  read  the  sentence,  the 
officer  withdrew,  and  the  Mameluke  came  forward,  cry- 
ing out  in  a  hoarse  voice:  '  Now,  my  fine  fellow,  it  rests 
between  you  arid  me  ;  we  will  see  after  awhile  whether 
you  will  laugh  or  not.' 

"  He  went  up  to  him  to  take  off  his  clothes,  but  Michael 
motioned  him  back,  and  unfastening  the  sheepskin  that 
covered  his  shoulders,  let  it  fall  at  his  feet.  He  was 
merely  dressed  in  a  linen  blouse.  I  looked  upon  him 
with  horror. 

"'Ah,  my  v galoubtchik!"*  said  the  executioner,  'you 
spare  me  all  trouble,  but  I  assure  you  I  shall  not  spare 
you.  In  the  first  place,  I  must  tie  you.'  '  Do  your 
cowardly  duty,'  answered  Michael;  and  without  another 
word  he  stretched  himself  upon  the  plank.  The  hang- 

*  According  to  Russian  law.  the  blows  must  always  be  unequal. 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


man  then  fastened  his  hands  beneath  the  board;  then  he 
fastened  his  feet  firmly  with  ropes,  and  with  a  knife  cut 
his  blouse  open  behind,  so  as  to  leave  his  back  bare. 

"  Then  the  knout  whistled  through  the  air,  as,  with  all 
his  strength,  the  ruffian  brought  it  down  upon  Michael's 
body.  I  heard  a  cry,  which  pierced  my  heart.  I  stopped 
my  mouth  with  my  handkerchief. 

"  The  police  officer,  who,  unmoved,  was  watching  the 
execution,  said  '  One.''  The  execution  went  on.  '  Two? 
said  the  officer. 

"  I  heard  a  second  stifled  cry.  I  saw  confusedly  be- 
fore me  the  \  bloody  knout  waving  in  the  air,  the  blood 
flowing  from  my  beloved  —  and  then  I  saw  no  more.  I 
had  fainted.  My  executioner  held  a  bottle  of  salts  to  my 
nose,  and  brought  me  back  to  consciousness.  Michael 
was  insensible  —  they  thought  he  was  dead,  but  they  gave 
him  a  cordial  which  restored  him  to  life,  and  then  they 
went  on  with  the  scourging. 

"  '  I  implore  you,'  I  said  to  the  Prince,  '  spare  me 
this  sight.  You  see  that  I  cannot  endure  it.'  'But  if  he 
did  not  see  you  here  he  would  die,'  said  the  Prince;  '  that 
hangman  has  a  fist  of  iron.'  I  said  no  more.  At  the  fif- 
tieth blow  I  fainted  again.  The  Prince  sent  me  home, 
but  he  himself  remained  until  the  end. 

"  When  it  was  over,  Markewitch,  who  loved  him  dearly, 
took  Michael  in  his  arms,  weeping  bitterly,  and  restored 
him  to  life." 

Here  Wanda  stopped  reading;  her  breast  was  heaving; 
her  eyes  kindled  with  indignation  and  horror. 

"Is  this  man  my  father?"  she  cried.     "Mother  —  Mich- 
ael —  I  will  avenge  you!  ........  Some  one  is  coming;  I 

hear  a  footstep.  Katia,  quick!  hide  this  manuscript;  he 
would  take  it  away  from  me  —  he  would  read  it;  perhaps 
his  blows  might  fall  upon  them  again,  far  off  as  they  are." 

Katia  was  hiding  the  letter  as  the  Prince  burst  into  the 
room. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this?"  he  cried.  "  I  hear 
some  man  has  shot  himself  in  my  palace." 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  107 

Wanda  made  no  answer.  She  simply  gazed  at  him  with 
horror-stricken  eyes. 

"  What  has  happened? "  he  continued.  "I  will  know; 
I  insist  upon  it." 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"You  do  not  know?" 

*'  I  do  not  know  anything,"  she  said  wildly,  passing  her 
hand  across  her  brow. 

The  Prince  thought  she  was  going  mad. 

"  Here,  Katia,  can't  you  answer  me?  " 

Katia  made  no  reply. 

The  Prince  looked  first  atone  and  then  at  the  other;  and 
at  last  he  took  Katia  by  the  arm  and  shook  her  roughly. 

"  What  does  all  this  mystery  mean?  The  day  has  gone 
by  for  suicides,  assassinations,  and  the  like  ;  this  must  be 
some  new  fashion  introduced  by  these  infernal  nihil- 
ists." 

"Your  ferocity  has  produced  the  nihilists,"  answered 
Wanda.  "The  bringer-forth  of  revolution  is  the  blood 
of  the  martyrs,  of  the  apostles — of  such  men  as  Michael 
Federoff." 

At  the  sound  of  that  name  the  Prince  started,  grew 
livid,  fixed  his  scared  eyes  upon  his  daughter,  and  stam- 
mered : 

"  That  name— who  told  you?  " 

"  I  know  everything." 

"These  nihilists!"  screamed  the  Prince  ;  "they  have 
crept  into  my  very  palace;  they  have  stolen  my  daugh- 
ter's heart  from  me,  as  they  did  her  mother's.  But  I  will 
find  them  out !  I  will  unmask  them.  I  will  punish. ..." 

"  It  is  unfortunate,  is  it  not,  that  the  knout  is  abol- 
ished !  "  said  Wanda. 

"You  will  drive  me  mad  !"  cried  the  Prince,  seizing 
his  head  with  his  hands. 

Wanda  looked  at  him  with  a  severe  and  crushing 
glance.  It  terrified  him  ;  he  left  the  room,  banging  the 
door  behind  him.  As  soon  as  she  was  sure  that  he 
would  not  return,  Wanda  resumed  the  sad  task  of  read- 
ing her  mother's  letter. 


168  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  At  the  end  of  eight  days  I  wrote  to  Michael  by  means 
of  Markewitch,  and  told  him  that  henceforth  my  life  was 
bound  up  with  his. 

"  The  Prince,  perceiving  the  horror  with  which  he  in- 
spired me,  determined  to  send  you  and  me  to  Perm,  at  the 
foot  of  the  Ural  mountains,  where  he  had  an  enormous 
estate  and  a  handsome  castle.  Upon  the  estate  were 
quicksilver  mines  worked  by  his  serfs.  Now-a-days  only 
criminals  or  assassins  or  socialists  are  condemned  to  work 
in  these  mines;  but  then  the  good-natured,  patient  peas- 
ants labored  for  their  masters,  without  any  complaint,  to 
bring  forth  the  precious  metal,  whose  value  availed  not 
them,  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth.  In  return  they  re- 
ceived a  scanty  ration  of  food;  and  if  they  refused  to 
work,  they  were  flogged. 

"And  these  poor  people  never  rebelled.  One  hundred 
million  of  men  patiently  accepted  this  state  of  slavery  im- 
posed upon  them  by  one  million  of  men  in  no  way  their 
superiors.*  I  asked  myself  if  these  wretches  had  within 
them  any  sense  of  justice,  and  if  the  progress  of  civiliza- 
tion could  ever  reach  their  reason  or  their  dull  intellect. 

"I  considered  that  we  would  have  to  prepare  a  new 
generation  for  the  new  ideas,  and  that  popular  education 
alone  could  bring  about  the  regeneration  of  the  Russian 
people.  I  founded  several  schools;  but  as  soon  as  your 
father  arrived,  he  objected.  'Why  instruct  the  people? 
Learning  would  only  make  them  discontented  and  un- 
happy with  their  lot;  it  would  inspire  them  with  disgust 
for  work,  and  insubordination  against  their  master  ! '  He 
closed  my  school.  The  winter  was  coming  on,  and  I 
wished  to  go  to  Petersburg.  He  refused,  alleging  that 
at  Petersburg  I  would  manage  to  affiliate  myself  with  the 
liberals. 

"  Towards  the  end  of  October  you  were  taken  very 
ill.  Markewitch  and  the  physician  at  Perm  gave  up  all 
hopes.  I  asked  for  Michael,  and  the  Prince,  frantic  at 
the  thought  of  losing  you,  sent  for  him  to  come. 

"  For  the  second  time  he  saved  your  life;  for  the  second 

*There  are  in  Russia  about  1,000,000  noblemen. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.       169 

time  your  father,  suspecting  us  most  unjustly,  struck  me. 

"These  continual  scenes  humiliated  me  to  that  point 
that  I  resolved  to  run  away.  I  told  Michael,  who  was 
terrified  at  my  intention;  but  at  last  he  yielded  to  my  en- 
treaties, and  consented  to  take  me  under  his  care.  Your 
health  was  perfectly  reestablished,  so  that  I  could  take 
you  with  me.  I  sold  nay  jewels  at  Perm,  and  realized  a 
sufficient  sum  for  our  journey  and  for  my  establishment 
in  a  foreign  country. 

"•  Once  out  of  Russia,  I  knew  that  Michael  could  sup- 
port us.  At  any  rate,  I  preferred  poverty  with  him  to 
princely  luxury  built  up  by  the  blood  and  sweat  of  the 
serls.  We  obtained  false  passports,  and  in  the  Prince's 
absence  we  left  his  house  in  the  middle  of  the  night. 

"  We  were  told  that  the  navigation  upon  the  Volga 
was  still  open.  We  intended  to  sail  down  the  Volga  to 
the  Caspian  Sea;  but  when  we  reached  Kasan,  to  our  hor- 
ror we  found  the  river  frozen,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
change  our  route,  and  make  for  the  frontier  of  Prussia. 
The  roads  were  bad,  the  weather  was  bad;  it  was  five 
days  before  we  reached  the  frontier,  and  there  we  were 
arrested. 

"  Michael  was  torn  from  my  side.  I  was  not  even  al- 
lowed to  know  what  fate  was  in  store  for  him.  I  was 
conducted  back  to  Krylowa,  guarded  between  soldiers 
like  a  prisoner. 

"  I  expected  violent  outbreaks,  reproaches,  scorn,  even 
blows;  but  I  was  astonished  and  alarmed  when  I  found 
the  Prince  perfectly  calm.  He  ordered  your  old  nurse  to 
take  you  from  me;  then,  as  I  was  going  into  my  own 
room,  he  said,  '  Not  there;  follow  me.'  He  led  me  into 
an  uninhabited  wing  of  the  castle;  there  I  found  a  room 
ready  to  receive  me.  Nothing  was  in  it  except  the  essen- 
tials of  life. 

"' Henceforth  this  is  to  be  your  apartment,'  said  the 
Prince,  '  and  you  cannot  leave  it  without  my  permis- 
sion.' I  did  not  dare  speak  ;  I  only  said,  '  Where  is  my 
child?  Can  I  not  have  her  with  me?'  'She  shall  be 
brought  to  see  you  daily.'  *  What ! '  cried  I, '  am  I  to 


170  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

be  a  prisoner  in  my  own  house?'  'In  your  house. 
Madame?  Excuse  me,  in  mine.'  'I  shall  write  to  my 
family.'  '  You  can  write  if  you  choose,'  he  answered, 
smiling  grimly.  Then  I  understood  that  I  was  tied  to 
this  man — that  I  was  forever  his  property,  his  slave. 

"  I  was  completely  worn  out,  morally  and  physically. 
I  could  make  no  resistance.  I  heard  the  noise  of  chains, 
the  grating  of  the  bolts  and  locks.  Overcome  by  weari- 
ness and  fatigue,  I  fell  asleep. 

"The  next  morning  when  I  awoke  I  found  my  break- 
fast already  served  upon  a  table.  I  jumped  out  of  bed, 
and  running  to  the  door,  shook  it  violently.  It  was 
locked.  The  whole  truth  burst  upon  me.  I  was  a 
prisoner — a  prisoner  for  life.  I  threw  up  the  sash  of 
the  window  and  looked  out.  Beneath  me  was  a  deep 
ditch.  For  a  moment  I  thought  I  would  throw  myself 
out,  and  so  end  my  wretched  life;  but  the  recollection  of 
you  and  of  Michael  crossed  my  mind.  I  determined 
first  to  learn  his  fate.  If  he  was  dead  I  determined  that 
I  would  die,  too. 

"  Now  and  then  my  jailor  would  pay  me  a  visit.  He 
tried  to  excuse  his  conduct.  He  was  punishing  me,  he  said, 
to  bring  me  back  to  my  duty  ;  he  was  very  jealous  of  me, 
he  said,  and  in  spite  of  my  misconduct  he  loved  me  still. 

"  Six  long  months  I  passed  in  that  martyrdom.  At 
last  the  Prince  was  obliged  to  go  to  Petersburg.  As  soon 
as  I  heard  that  he  had  gone,  I  began  to  breathe  freer. 
I  could  think  of  nothing  but  how  to  escape. 

"It  was  a  beautiful,  brilliant  April  morning.  The 
snow  was  beginning  to  melt,  and  with  its  rays  some  sort 
of  hope  seemed  to  creep  into  my  heart.  I  seated  my- 
self by  the  window,  and  looked  idly  out  upon  the 
green  steppe  that  lay  stretched  out  before  me  ;  suddenly 
I  saw  in  the  distance  a  human  figure.  It  was  a  mujik  ; 
and  as  he  drew  near,  I  watched  him  with  beating  heart, 
for  I  had  a  presentiment  that  this  man  was  to  be  my  lib- 
erator. At  last  he  came  near  enough  for  me  to  distinguish 
his  features.  Carefully  looking  around  and  perceiving 
no  one,  he  held  out  to  me  a  paper.  It  was  Michael. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.       171 

"  My  heart  stood  still.  I  knew  well  the  danger  he  ran, 
but  as  the  Prince  was  away  I  was  not  so  terribly  alarmed. 
I  answered  him  by  signs  ;  and  I  tore  up  some  pieces 
of  my  clothing  into  thin  strips  and  knotted  them  togeth- 
er, until  I  had  made  a  string  long  enough  to  reach  to  the 
ground.  I  tied  a  little  toy  that  you  had  left  behind  you 
to  the  end  of  this  cord,  and  lowered  it  from  the  window. 
I  remember  thinking  to  myself,  that  if  they  discovered 
me  I  would  say  that  I  had  been  trying  to  draw  your  at- 
tention up  to  my  window  by  means  of  that  plaything. 

"  Michael  ran  quickly  forward  and  fastened  a  letter 
around  the  little  toy.  I  pulled  it  up  hastily.  With  what 
joy  did  I  hold  that  letter  in  my  hands  !  He  had  been  con- 
demned to  work  in  the  mines,  but  he  had  managed  to  make 
his  escape,  and  had  come  to  look  for  me.  He  had  heard 
that  the  Prince  had  gone  away.  There  was  not  a  mo- 
ment to  lose.  They  had  not  as  yet  had  time  to  find 
out  his  absence  from  the  mine,  but  they  would  soon,  and 
haste  was  urgent.  He  proposed  to  climb,  at  night-fall,  the 
fir-tree  that  grew  beneath  my  window,  and  from  there  to 
throw  up  to  me  a  coil  of  rope.  1  was  to  fasten  the  rope 
firmly  to  the  iron  bars  outside  my  room,  and  at  midnight 
he  would  climb  up  with  the  necessary  instruments  to  file 
away  the  grating,  and  then  he  would  help  me  down  on 
the  rope. 

"  We  had  no  money,  so  we  should  have  to  hide  in  the 
mountains,  and  gradually  make  our  way  into  the  countrv 
of  the  Kirghis.  It  was  exactly  the  plan  that  I  had  laid 
out  myself. 

"  At  midnight  I  fastened  the  cord  and  let  it  down.  In 
a  few  minutes  I  heard  a  dull  thud,  as  though  ^omething 
had  fallen  on  the  ground.  I  looked  for  the  cord  ;  it  had 
been  badly  fastened  and  had  given  way.  All  night 
long  I  watched,  dreading  the  morning  light.  I  heard  no 
sound  save  the  sentinel  pacing  his  round,  and  the  beating 
of  my  own  heart.  Perhaps  the  fall  had  killed  him  ;  per- 
haps he  was  lying,  wounded,  helpless,  in  the  bottom  of 
the  ditch.  At  last  day  broke,  and  peering  through  the 
fog  that  obscured  the  sun's  light,  I  saw  Michael  seated  in 


172  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

the  fir-tree  nearest  to  my  room.  He  held  the  rope  in  his 
hand,  and  motioning  me  away  from  the  window,  he  threw 
it  dexterously  into  the  room. 

"  Just  then  I  heard  the  door  open.  I  thrust  the  coil 
of  rope  under  my  sofa.  The  Prince's  confidential  servant 
entered.  He  had  seen  my  motion,  and  glanced  towards 
me  suspiciously;  but  he  merely  asked  me  what  I  would 
have  for  my  breakfast.  I  was  so  troubled  that  I  could 
hardly  speak,  and  he  perceived  my  agitation.  He  left 
the  room,  and  I  ran  to  the  window  to  warn  Michael;  but 
Michael  was  no  longer  there. 

"I  threw  myself  upon  the  sofa,  wondering  what  I 
should  do.  At  last  I  determined  that  I  would  not  open 
the  window,  and  that  I  would  keep  my  light  burning  all 
night,  and  then  he  would  understand  that  we  had  been 
discovered.  He  had -understood,  in  fact,  and  he  had  hid 
himself;  but  towards  midnight  I  heard  the  report  of  fire- 
arms, and  I  knew  that  they  were  after  him.  But  as  the 
noise  gradually  died  away  in  the  distance,  I  supposed 
that  he  had  escaped. 

"  The  day  after  that  the  Prince  returned.  He  came  at 
once  to  my  room,  went  up  to  the  sofa  and  kicked  it  with 
his  foot;  but  the  coil  of  ropes  was  not  there.  'Where  is 
the  rope?'  said  he.  I  knew  there  was  no  use  for  me  to 
deny  anything,  and  I  opened  a  closet  where  1  had  hid  it. 
'Here  it  is.'  'Very  well,  they  told  me  the  truth.  But 
I  warn  you,  you  shall  not  escape  me.' 

"He  left  me,  and  returned  shortly  with  his  confiden- 
tial servant.  He  opened  the  door  of  a  small  dressing- 
room  attached  to  my  chamber,  and  asked  me  to  walk  in. 
His  calmness  and  politeness  froze  the  very  blood  in  my 
veins.  I  entered  ;  they  turned  the  key  on  me.  In  a 
few  minutes  I  heard  the  noise  of  axes  and  hammers,  and 
for  many  hours  I  was  left  in  total  solitude,  wildly  con- 
jecturing what  new  torture  was  being  prepared  for  me. 
When  at  last  they  unlocked  the  door,  I  found  that  my 
bright  sunny  room  had  been  transformed  into  a  gloomy 
dungeon.  The  windows  were  walled  up  ;  aud  high  up, 
just  below  the  ceiling,  two  little  openings  had  been 
made  about  twenty  inches  square. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA       173 

"'Now,  my  love,'  said  the  Prince,  laughing,  'you  can- 
not well  make  signals  to  your  convict-lover.  1  warned 
you  that  I  am  jealous.  I  shall  have  to  leave  you  for  two 
or  three  months,  and  I  cannot  allow  you  to  have  any 
communication  with  him  in  my  absence.  I  shall  have 
the  door  walled  up  as  well  as  the  window.' 

"'And  my  child!'  I  cried,  'my  child!  She  belongs 
to  me  !  I  would  rather  die  than  be  separated  from  her.' 

" '  I  shall  take  her  with  me,'  he  said. 

"I  fainted.  When  I  recovered  my  consciousness  I 
found  myself  lying  on  the  sofa,  and  I  heard  the  noise  of 
the  masons  walling  up  my  door.  They  left  a  little  grat- 
ing, through  which  my  food  was  passed  to  me. 

"I  had  no  books  to  read;  I  had  no  light;  I  could  no 
longer  solace  myself  with  the  beautiful  view  from  my 
window;  above  all,  I  had  lost  you,  my  child.  The  only 
reason  why  I  did  not  kill  myself  was  because  I  was  too 
weak  to  make  up  my  mind,  too  powerless  to  put  my  de- 
sire into  execution. 

"  The  three  months  passed  away.  To  me  they  seemed 
three  years.  One  night  I  was  awakened  by  a  great  noise 
and  tumult  in  the  house,  and  suddenly  I  heard  the  cry 
'Fire!  fire!'  I  sat  up  in  bed  and  reflected.  Fire  was 
deliverance  or  death;  and  death  was  deliverance;  but, 
such  a  death!  I  opened  the  grating,  and  saw  a  torrent 
of  flames.  No  one  was  thinking  of  me,  so  I  lay  down 
upon  my  bed  and  waited  for  death. 

"Suddenly  I  heard  a  voice;  it  said,  'It  is  I,  Michael; 
don't  be  afraid.  Everything  is  ready  for  our  flight.'  I 
heard  pickaxes  knocking  at  the  wall.  In  five  minutes 
the  opening  was  large  enough  for  me  to  pass;  he  took  me 
in  his  arms,  but  the  fire  was  raging  in  the  passage.  '  Put 
your  arms  round  my  neck,'  he  said,  '  and  be  cool.'  '  I  can 
walk,'  I  answered.  'Here  is  a  staircase;  let  us  go  this 
way.'  He  dragged  me  to  a  window,  fastened  a  rope  lad- 
der to  it,  and  almost  threw  himself  out  with  me  in  his 
arms.  At  the  same  moment  I  heard  cries  behind  us: 
'Here  they  are!  here  they  are!' 

"instantly,     when   we     had     reached     the    ground, 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


Michael  took  out  a  touloupe  from  under  a  mound  of 
earth,  where  he  had  hidden  it,  and  threw  it  over  my 
shoulders;  then  taking  me  by  the  hand,  he  said,  'We 
must  run;  do  your  best,  for  your  own  sake  as  well  as 
for  mine.' 

"  We  found  a  horse  awaiting  us  at  the  park  gate.  He 
mounted,  swung  me  up  behind  him,  and  we  galloped 
off  with  speed.  When  the  day  dawned  we  had  reached 
the  first  ridge  of  the  Urals.  Then  we  allowed  our  horse 
to  take  a  little  rest.  As  for  us,  such  was  our  excitement 
that  we  felt  neither  hunger  nor  fatigue. 

"  During  this  halt  Michael  told  me  all  that  had  hap- 
pened since  his  last  effort  to  deliver  me.  He  had  dressed 
himself  as  a  miner,  and  had  worked  in  the  mines  ;  the 
Prince  had  never  thought  of  looking  for  him  there.  He 
perceived  a  great  discontent  among  the  workmen,  and 
discovered  that  they  all  bore  a  sullen  hatred  to  the  over- 
seer, who  imposed  upon  them  unmercifully.  As  an  apostle 
of  socialism,  he  preached  to  them  our  doctrines,  and  so 
worked  upon  their  imaginations  that  upon  the  infliction 
of  an  unjust  punishment  upon  one  of  the  band,  he  aroused 
them  to  proceed  in  a  body  to  the  castle  and  set  it  on  fire. 

"  When  our  horse  had  sufficiently  rested,  we  continued 
our  journey  through  mountain  defiles  that  Michael  had 
studied  for  months.  In  less  than  two  months  we  were  be- 
yond all  pursuit.  At  last  we  'were  out  of  Russia. 

"As  I  crossed  the  frontier,  I  turned  around  towards  that 
accursed  country,  and  looked  back  in  a  sort  of  intoxication 
upon  that  land  of  misery  and  anguish  —  that  empire  of  evil, 
where  the  weak  are  at  the  mercy  of  the  strong,  where  in- 
justice rules,  where  for  five  years  I  had  suffered  every 
humiliation,  every  agony  that  the  human  soul  is  capable  of. 

"  It  is  needless  to  tell  you  of  all  our  adventures  in  the 
country  of  the  Khirgis,  where  we  spent  six  months. 

"Michael's  skill  as  a  physician  supplied  us  with  means. 
We  sailed  down  the  Caspian  Sea  to  the  port  of  Lissa.  We 
crossed  Persia  and  Armenia  to  Trebizond.  Then,  by  the 
way  of  the  Black  Sea,  we  arrived  in  a  steamer  at  Mar- 
seilles. 


THE  LETTER  FROM  GENEVA.  175 

"  I  wrote  to  my  father  to  ask  for  assistance.  He  'was 
very  poor,  and  could  not  help  me;  but  an  old  aunt  of 
mine,  dying  just  at  that  time,  left  me  quite  a  little  for- 
tune. 1  thought  for  a  while  that  we  could  live  in  peace, 
when  I  heard  that  the  Prince  was  searching  everywhere 
for  us,  having  denounced  us  as  criminals  and  incendiaries 
to  the  foreign  governments.  We  were  obliged  to  change 
our  names,  and  again  to  go  into  hiding.  In  1862  the  in- 
surrection in  Poland  broke  out.  We  had  one  moment  of 
hope;  but  in  a  little  while  my  wretched  country  was  more 
oppressed  than  ever.  . 

"  For  seventeen  years  I  have  been  exiled,  separated 
from  you.  Thanks  to  Padlewsky  and  Katia,  we  have  at 
least  the  same  creed,  the  same  hope. 

"  I  have  wished  to  tell  you  all  my  life.  Now  you 
know  the  truth;  and  I  hope,  my  beloved  child,  that  your 
upright  mind  will  absolve  your  mother. 

"I  waited  to  make  this  revelation  to  you  until  you  were 
of  age,  because  now  you  are  free  to  dispose  of  yourself, 
and  you  can  claim  your  inheritance  from  your  father. 
This  fortune  will  at  least  make  you  independent.  As  for 
me,  I  do  not  need  anything.  Michael's  practice  is  quite 
sufficient  for  both  of  us. 

"  If  you  do  not  care  for  your  fortune,  I  desire  that  you 
will  give  it  over  into  the  hands  of  the  Revolutionary  Com- 
mittee. Ah,  if  Geneva  were  not  so  far  away,  if  you  were 
not  necessary  where  you  are,  I  would  ask  you  to  come  to 
your  mother,  who  for  seventeen  years  has  hungered  for 
the  kisses  of  her  child.  But  the  cause  before  everything. 
At  this  time  we  must  concentrate  all  our  efforts,  all  oar 
means,  to  one  aim — the  freedom  of  the  Russian  people. 
Besides,  Michael  and  I  have  a  project  on  foot,  which,  if 
we  can  push  it  through,  will  permit  us  soon  to  see  you 
and  to  embrace  you. 

"  Your  mother  presses  you  to  her  heart  and  covers  you 
with  kisses.  ALEXANDRA." 

"  Poor  mother!"  murmured  Wanda,  wiping  away  her 
tears;  "  how  she  has  suffered!  And  I  am  the  daughter  of 
(her  persecutorl " 


176  A  NIHILIST  PEINCESS. 

She  threw  herself  into  Katia's  arms. 

"Oh,  thanks!  thanks!  "  she  cried,  "to  you,  who  have 
opened  my  eyes  and  made  me  worthy  to  know  and  love 
this  noble  woman." 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE    BALL. 

KRYLOFF'S  ball,  to  celebrate  Wanda's  coming 
of  age,  was  royal  in  its  magnificence.  His  palace,  one 
of  the  finest  in  Petersburg,  was  decorated  for  the  occa- 
sion by  a  French  artist ;  flowers,  lights  and  mirrors — 
mirrors  of  lights  and  flowers,  were  everywhere. 

Wanda  wore  a  dress  of  satin  and  Canton  crepe 
trimmed  with  water-lilies  and  seaweeds.  Her  emerald 
necklace  with  its  wavering  light,  the  dark  green  leaves 
of  the  lilies  upon  the  dead  white  of  her  dress,  height- 
ened the  effect  of  her  pale  skin  and  wonderful  green- 
tinted  eyes. 

Every  one  in  society  was  there.  Although  the  army 
was  still  in  Turkey,  there  was  no  lack  of  uniforms,  for 
the  officers  of  the  Imperial  body-guard  and  the  aides-de- 
camp of  the  Emperor  added  the  eclat  of  their  scarlet 
uniforms  and  numerous  decorations  to  the  brilliant  scene. 

All  Wanda's  adorers  were  there.  She  saluted  them 
each  in  her  usual  friendly  way;  but  when  she  perceived 
Litzanoff,  hardly  able  to  stand,  gazing  at  her  with  des- 
pairing eyes,  she  went  straight  up  to  him  and  said: 

"  You  here?     How  imprudent!     How  is  your  wound?  " 

"  It  is  nothing." 

"  You  have  a  fever  now." 

"You  promised  to  come  to  me;  you  did  not  come.  I 
would  not  wait  any  longer." 

"  This  folly  will  put  back  your  recovery." 


THE  BALL.  177 


"Well,  what  if  it  does?" 

Stackelberg  was  watching  them.  He  read  in  Litzan- 
ofFs  eyes  his  consuming  love,  and  in  Wanda's  suppressed 
pity  her  suppressed  tenderness. 

Stackelberg  loved  Wanda  as  well  as  such  a  nature 
could  love.  He  had  sworn  to  himself  that  she  should 
love  him,  and  here  was  a  rival.  A  bitter  jealousy  awoke 
in  his  heart. 

At  midnight  the  ball  was  at  its  height,  when  General 
Trepoff  was  announced.  Wanda  received  him,  and 
taking  him  by  the  arm,  led  him  to  her  father. 

"  Well,  General,"  she  said  gaily,  "  do  you  see  any  sus- 
picious persons  present?  Have  you  discovered  any  of 
these  wicked  and  dangerous  nihilists  ?" 

Just  then  they  were  passing  through  a  small  drawing- 
room  in  which  several  of  the  guests  were  engaged  in  an 
animated  discussion.  They  were  Padlewsky,  Raymond 
Chabert,  Alexis  Verenine,  Horace  de  Prieu,  Litzanoff, 
and  Vassili  Stackelberg. 

Litzanoff  was  speaking. 

"Russian  society,"  he  said,  "is  rotten  to  the  core. 
Beneath  its  elegant  manners  and  refined  tastes  there  lurk 
a  savage  selfishness  and  brutal  passions.  In  this  Holy 
Russia,  we  are  all  either  oppressor  or  oppressed,  lords  or 
fawning  lackeys,  peacocks  or  vipers,  treading  down  or 
trodden  upon.  Our  lordly  vices  gloss  over  our  moral  de- 
crepitude. But  alongside  of  this  society,  ready  to  crum- 
ble to  pieces,  a  vigorous,  young,  lusty  tenacious  genera- 
tion is  arising.  It  is  the  popular  element,  which  will  soon 
absorb  the  aristocratic  element." 

Then,  perceiving  a  coM  sneering  smile  upon  Stackel- 
berg's  face,  he  went  on  more  excitedly: 

"  Is  it  among  civilized  nations  that  such  men  as  Trepoff 
are  allowed  to  flog  political  prisoners?" 

At  that  very  moment,  General  Trepoff  stood  at  the 
entrance  of  the  room. 

"  It  was  not  Trepoff  who  flogged  Bogoluboff,"  answered 
the  General;  "  it  was  the  Chief  of  Police,  who  was  obliged 
to  force  his  authority  to  be  respected." 
12 


178  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Litzanoff  did  not  know  Trepoff.  He  turned  around, 
and  saw  Wanda  leaning  upon  this  gentleman's  arm. 
Seized  with  jealousy,  in  the  most  insulting  manner  he 
said: 

"  That  does  not  alter  the  fact.  I  maintain  that  any 
nation  in  which  a  Mister  Trepoff,  whatever  his  rank  may 
be,  can  with  impunity  outrage  the  respect  due  to  human- 
ity, is  not  entitled  to  be  called  a  civilized  nation  !  " 

"Hush,  Stepane  Danilovitch ! "  cried  out  Wanda;  but 
Litzanoff  would  not  hush. 

"And  why,"  said  he,  "  should  Bogoluboff  have  saluted 
this  Mister  Trepoff  ?  Was  it  his  place  to  thank  Mister 
Trepoff  for  keeping  him  locked  up  as  a  prisoner?  " 

"  Stepane,  you  are  speaking  to  General  Trepoff  him- 
self," broke  in  Wanda,  who  was  as  white  as  a  sheet. 

Litzanoff  stared  at  Wanda.  She,  leaning  on  Trepoff 's 
arm  ! — could  it  be  possible?  But  carried  away  by  the 
fever  that  burned  in  his  veins,  by  his  vanity,  by  a  sort  of 
bravado,  he  bowed  to  the  General,  and  in  the  bitterest 
tone  continued: 

"  I  ask  General  Trepoff  himself  if  there  is  any  law 
here  in  Russia  which  compels  a  man  to  take  off  his  hat 
to  such-and-such  a  person?  I  maintain  that  Bogoluboff 
was  right,  and  that  the  Chief  of  the  Police  was  not  right. 
But  in  Russia  justice  has  two  weights  and  two  measures; 
in  Russia  justice  does  not  touch  the  rich  and  great ;  she 
only  flogs  the  weak.  And  still  the  Czar  calls  himself 
liberal." 

Wanda,  in  despair,  tried  to  draw  Trepoff  away.  "  I 
beg  you,  General,"  she  said,  "  do  not  pay  any  attention 
to  this  crazy  young  fellow.1" 

The  Chief  of  Police  was  trembling  with  rage  ;  but  he 
controlled  his  temper,  and  even  smiled  as  he  answered 
Wanda  : 

"  Here,  at  least,  is  one  of  your    nihilists." 

"  Oh,  no  !  To-morrow  you  will  be  surprised  to  hear 
him  argue  on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  He  does  n't 
know  what  he  is  talking  about.  I  assure  you  he  has 
something  the  matter  with  his  brain." 


THE  BALL.  179 

"  I  think  that  is  what  ails  all  the  nihilists.  But  they 
are  dangerous,  and  that  is  why  we  lock  them  up." 

Wanda  looked  at  him  with  her  lovely,  beseeching 
eyes. 

"  Do  not  arrest  Litzanoff,  General.  His  wife  is  my  in- 
timate friend  ;  she  adores  him,  and  it  would  kill  her.  It 
would  be  a  dreadful  blow  to  me  to  have  such  a  thing 
happen  on  my  birthday.  It  would  ruin  the  happiness  of 
that  little  family." 

"  I  could  forgive  him  if  he  had  attacked  me  alone  ;  but 
I  think  I  heard  him  declaiming  against  the  Emperor, 
criticising  the  Government.  However,  I  shall  know  ex- 
actly what  he  did  say." 

"General,  have  you  brought  your  spies  here?"  ex- 
claimed Wanda,  forgetting  to  dissemble  her  indignation. 

"  No,  I  have  not.  But  you  must  acknowledge  your- 
self that  I  have  good  cause  to  do  so,"  he  answered,  with 
a  hard  laugh. 

"  I  grant  you,"  she  replied,  "  that  he  has  been  imper- 
tinent, and  audacious,  and  very  ill-bred  ;  but  for  my 
sake,  forgive  him." 

"I  will  forgive  him,  if  I  can,"  said  Trepoff;  and  in  a 
few  minutes  he  withdrew. 

Wanda  went  back  into  the  little  drawing-room.  No 
one  was  there  but  Verenine. 

"  What  has  become  of  Litzanoff  ?"  she  asked. 

"  He  went  out  of  the  room   with  Prince-  Stackelberg." 

**  Stackelberg  !  "  exclaimed  Wanda. 

"  Well,  what  is  there  extraordinary  about  that?  " 

"  Did  you  hear  what  they  were  talking  about?" 

"  No,  I  did  not ;  I  only  noticed  that  they  seemed  deep- 
ly interested  in  one  another's  conversation." 

"Oh,  for  pity's  sake,  Alexis,  go  and  find  Stepane  ! 
Tell  him  I  want  to  see  him  ; — tell  him  Nadege  wants  to 
go  home  ; — tell  him  anything  you  choose,  but  get  him 
away  from  Stackelberg." 

Just  then  Chabert  came  up.  Wanda's  anxiety  and  un- 
easiness increased  her  beauty  tenfold,  and  Raymond  was 
dazzled  by  her  appearance. 


180  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"Can  you  come  to  see  me  to-morrow?"  she  said  to  him. 
"  I  have  something  important  to  ask  of  you." 

"Of  me?  Whatever  you  ask  is  granted  before- 
hand." 

"  Oh,  you  are  a  true  Frenchman.  Do  not  be  too  rash 
in  your  promises." 

"  What  promises  have  I  made  you?  " 

"You  offered  me  your  life,  did  you  not?" 

"Yes." 

"I  shall  not  ask  you  to  die  for  me;  but  what  is  more 
difficult,  to  live  for  me,  upon  my  own  terms." 

"  I  vow  to  you  that —  . " 

"  Do  not  vow  before  you  know  what  it  is." 

"  You  have  excited  my  curiosity.  Please  give  me  some 
idea  of  what  you  mean." 

"  I  mean  something  about  marriage." 

"Marriage!     I!     Whom  am  I  to  marry?  " 

"You  shall  know  to-morrow.     Good  night." 


CHAPTER  XXIT. 

PROVOCATION. 

IT  was  Stackelberg  who  had  incited  Litzanoff  to  that 
diatribe  against  the  Government  and  the  Chief  of  Police; 
and  as  soon  as  Wanda  had  got  General  Trepoff  out  of 
the  room,  he  led  the  Count  on  to  a  discussion  about  po'it- 
ical  and  social  questions.  He  was,  in  fact,  playing  the 
same  game  with  Litzanoff  that  he  had  tried  with  Wanda; 
but  Wanda,  being  a  woman,  and  more  quick  to  discern, 
had  seen  through  him  and  foiled  him.  Not  so  Count 
Litzanoff,  who,  careless  at  all  times  of  danger,  had  no 
suspicion  whatever  of  the  German's  motives. 

The  smoking-room  was  unoccupied  as  the  two  young 
men  sauntered  in. 


PROVOCATION.  181 


"  My  dear  fellow,"  said  Stackelberg,  handing  the  Count 
a  cigar,  "although  I  appeared  to  contradict  you- 'a  few 
moments  ago,  I  am>  at  bottom,  entirely  of  your  way  of 
thinking.  Between  you  and  me,  I  am  not  far  off  from 
becoming  a  socialist  like  yourself." 

"Who  told  you  that  I  am  a  socialist  ?"  said  Litzanoff, 
startled. 

"  Why,  you  talk  like  one.  You  wish  to  overturn  the 
government,  the  laws,  the  religion  of  the  country.  I 
should  like  to  know  something  of  this  movement.  We 
Germans — for  I  am  of  German  descent — are  not  so  quick, 
not  so  intuitive,  not  so  clever  as  you  Russians  ;  but  when 
an  idea  once  has  penetrated  into  our  thick  heads,  take 
my  word  for  it,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  get  it  out.  I  should 
like  very  much  to  be  admitted  into  your  secret  society. 
The  revolutionary  movement  interests  me  intensely. 
You  said  just  now  that  Russia  is  debased  and  corrupt  ; 
but  believe  me,  a  nation  which  can  produce  such  char- 
acters as  Myschkine,  for  instance,  cannot  be  looked 
upon  with  contempt.  I  have  heard  that  there  are 
amongst  these  Nihilists  persons  of  the  highest  rank,  who 
have  given  up  everything — family  and  fortune — for  the 
cause." 

"  We  are  not  Nihilists,"  answered  Litzanoff,  completely 
thrown  off  his  guard.  "We  are  socialists,  humanita- 
rians, revolutionists.  We  only  desire  to  overthrow  the 
existing  state  of  things  because  it  is  wholly  evil." 

"  You  desire,  then,  a  revolution  which  shall  be  both 
political  and  social  ?" 

"  We  do." 

"  Are  there  many  of  you  ?  Is  the  organization  an 
extensive  one  ?" 

At  this  question  Litzanoff  came  to  his  senses.  He 
looked  at  the  face  of  his  interrogator  ;  and  that  flat, 
smooth,  pale  countenance  made  him  tremble.  He  sud- 
denly perceived  that  he  had  betrayed  his  secret  to  Stack- 
elberg ;  not  only  his  own  secret,  but  that,  of  his  whole 
party. 

"  Truly,"  he  said,  "  I  am  a  strange  sort  of  fellow.     But 


182  A  NIHILIST.  PRINCESS. 

yesterday  I  was  reading  a  book  which  I  came  across  ac- 
cidentally— a  socialist  book,  very  probably  left  in  my 
room  to  attract  my  attention — and  here  I  am  talking 
about  it  as  if  I  were  a  prominent  agent  of  the  revolution. 
If  an  idea  appeals  to  me  as  just,  I  accept  it;  if,  on  the 
contrary,  it  strikes  me  as  false,  I  criticise  it.  Clearly, 
you  know  nothing  of  me  or  of  my  past  life,  if  you  take  me 
for  a  socialist — unless,  indeed,  you  consider  my  Nihilism 
as  the  last  of  my  eccentric  extravagances,  or  extravagant 
eccentricities.  I  believe  in  nothing,  that  is  true,  and 
consequently  I  respect  nothing;  but  that  does  not  imply 
that  I  am  mixed  up  with  any  party.  In  the  first  place,  I 
should  have  to  know  where  this  party  is  to  be  found;  and 
where  is  it,  where  does  it  meet,  where  does  it  hold  forth? 
I  have  heard  a  great  deal  of  talk  about  these  Nihilists, 
but  I  have  never  seen  them.  I  should  be  infinitely 
obliged  to  you  if  you  will  introduce  me  to  some  of  them; 
for,  like  yourself,  I  am  dying  to  belong  to  some  secret  so- 
ciety." 

Stackelberg  bit  his  lips.  "I  have  gone  too  fast,"  he 
thought. 

"  Princess  Wanda,"  said  Vassili,  "  is  thought  to  be  a  ni- 
hilist. What  a  notion!  Do  you  know  how  I  think  these 
Nihilist  women  look!  Cut  out  of  wood,  with  thin  gray 
hair  trimmed  short,  red  noses  adorned  with  spectacles — 
they  are  all  midwives,  and  drink  vodki.  Do  you  think 
Wanda  Kryloff  could  associate  with  such  creatures  ?  " 

"  You  know  Her  very  well,  do  you  not?  "  asked  Stack- 
elberg. 

"Yes,  she  is  my  wife's  most  intimate  friend.  " 

"Are  you  married?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  been  married  for  two  years." 

"You  married!  Why  I  have  seen  vou  everywhere 
with 

"  Well,  in  fact,  my  married  life  has  not  been  altogeth- 
er irreproachable." 

"  You  Russians  are  great  flirts." 

"Although  I  have  a  beautiful  wife,"continuedLitzanoff, 
"  I  am  not  so  blind  but  that  I  can  see  the  beauty  of  other 
women.  I  love  everything  that  is  pretty." 


PROVOCATION.  183 


"  Even  Wanda  Kryloff  ?"  asked  Stackelberg,  fixing  his 
eyes  upon  Stepane. 

Litzanoff  blushed  painfully.  "  I  love  "Wanda,"  he 
said,  "  as  I  would  a  goddess;  but  she  is  too  perfect  for 
my  taste.  She  wearies  me  because  she  makes  me  feel 
my  inferiority." 

u  Excuse  me,  Stepane  Danilovitch;  you  are  desperately 
in  love  with  that  beautiful  girl." 

"I?  It  is  a  platonic  affection.     You  do  not  know  me." 

Just  then  Wanda,  who  had  been  looking  for  them 
everywhere,  appeared  at  the  door  of  the  smoking-room. 

"At  last,"  she  said,  "  here  you  are.  Nadege  is  looking 
for  you,  Stepane  Danilovitch.  She  told  me  to  tell  you." 

"  Shall  I  retire?  "  asked  Stackelberg,  hurt  that  Wanda 
took  no  notice  whatever  of  him. 

"Oh,  no;  I  only  want  to  give  Stepane  the  message  his 
wife  left  for  him." 

Stepane  threw  down  his  cigar,  and  followed  Wanda 
into  the  conservatory  adjoining  the  smoking-room. 

"  Wretched  man  1 '.'  she  whispered,  "  what  have  you 
said  to  him?  " 

"To  whom?" 

"To  that  German." 

Stepane  felt  a  cold  sweat  break  out  all  over  him. 

"  I  believe  I  let  out  that  I  am  a  nihilist.  We  were 
speaking  of  the  Nihilists,  and  I  said  we." 

"As  if  you  were  a  member  of  a  secret  society?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Well,  Trepoff  suspects  you,  and  Stackelberg  will  con- 
vict you.  You  must  leave  Petersburg  to-night.  If  not, 
you  will  be  arrested  to-morrow." 

"  Who  is  this  Stackelberg?  " 

"  An  agent  of  the  Third  Section." 

"Ah!  I  see  now." 

"  Promise  me  that  you  will  leave  the  city! " 

"  I  will  hide;  but  I  will  not  leave  Petersburg  as  long 
as  you  are  here." 

"I  must  leave  you  now,"  said  Wanda;  "we  must  not 
be  seen  together." 


184  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Stepane  tried  to  take  her  hand.  "Are  you  mad!"  she 
said. 

"  Yes,  more  so  than  ever." 

"  I  insist  upon  your  going  at  once  to  some  friend's,  who 
will  conceal  you;  you  are  worn  out;  you  look  livid;  you 
need  rest." 

"  I  will  obey  you;  but  pity  me — give  me  your  hand." 

He  seized  it  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips;  at  the  same  instant 
they  both  heard  a  slight  rustle  among  the  leaves  of  the 
shrubbery  which  hid  them  from  sight. 

"He  is  listening  to  us,"  she  exclaimed  in  terror. 

Stepane  made  a  sign  of  farewell,  and  returned  to  the 
smoking-room.  Stackelberg  was  lying  on  the  sofa,  care- 
lessly puffing  away  at  his  cigar,  as  though  he  thought  of 
nothing  but  the  rings  of  smoke  that  floated  upwards  before 
his  eyes. 

Litzanoff  crossed  the  room  without  looking  at  him.  He 
was  just  outside  the  door  when  Stackelberg  called  after 
him: 

"Stepane  Danilovitch! " 

Litzanoff  did  not  turn  around;  the  German  arose  and 
rushed  after  him. 

"  Sir,  I  spoke  to  you!  "  he  said. 

"  I  heard  you,"  replied  Litzanoff. 

"You  made  me  no  answer." 

«  No." 

"Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  tell  me  why  you  did 
not?" 

"  Because  I  did  not  choose  to  answer  you." 

"  Will  you  please  to  explain  this  sudden  change  in  your 
behavior  to  me?  " 

"Simply  my  fancy." 

"In  fact,  Count,  as  you  said  just  now,  there  must  be 
something  ..."  and  he  touched  his  forehead  with  the 
end  of  his  finger. 

"I  can  say  that  myself,  but  I  allow  no  one  else  to  say  so." 

"Who  will  prevent  me  from  saying  so  if  I  choose?" 

"  I  will ! "  said  Litzanoff,  in  a  tone  of  defiance. 

Stackelberg  had  resumed  his  cold,  phlegmatic  manner; 


THE  ARREST.  185 


and  looking  at  his  enraged  adversary  with  a  satirical  smile, 
he  handed  him  his  card. 

"  To-morrow  at  ten  o'clock,"  he  said,  "  I  will  send  you 
a  I'riend  who  will  arrange  this  matter." 

"Very  well,"  answered  Litzanoff,  turning  his  back. 

"Ah,  that  was  a  happy  thought ! "  chuckled  Stackelberg, 
who  had  overheard  the  conversation  between  Stepane  and 
Wanda.  "  This  duel  will  keep  him  at  home.  I  will  see 
that  he  is  locked  up  by  eight  o'clock." 

On  the  other  hand,  Litzanoff,  who  could  not  conceive 
such  baseness,  said  to  himself  :  "  This  is  first-rate;  I  have 
the  whole  day  before  me.  He  will  never  have  me  ar- 
rested before  the  fight  comes  off." 

As  soon  as  she  had  quitted  Stepane,  Wanda  went  in 
search  of  Nadege. 

"  Dear  friend,"  she  said,  "your  husband  must  disapr 
pear  for  a  while.  I  am  afraid  he  has  compromised  him- 
self, and  he  might  be  arrested." 

"  Arrested  ! "  cried  Nadege,  in  horror. 

"  It  is  only  a  dread  that  I  have.  Watch  and  see  if 
you  notice  any  commissary  of  police  walking  frequently 
by  your  house  ;  if  you  do  not,  after  a  few  days  he  can 
come  home  again." 

"Where  can  he  go  to  hide?" 

"Wherever  you  think  is  the  safest  place.  I  am  going 
now  to  speak  to  Padlewsky  about  it ;  he  knows  all  sorts 
of  mysterious  holes  and  corners  in  Petersburg." 

She  looked  for  Padlewsky  everywhere  ;  but  he  was  not 
to  be  found. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE    ARREST. 

As  SOON  as  Nadege  reached  home  with  her  husband, 
she  begged  him  not  to  sleep  in    his  own    house  ;  but   he 


186  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

laughed  at  her  fears.  Nadege  knew  well  that  arrest 
often  meant  disappearance  forever,  and  her  love  exag- 
gerated the  danger.  She  begged  Litzanoff  on  her  knees 
to  seek  some  place  of  concealment ;  but,  raising  her  from 
the  ground,  he  said  : 

"I  would  go  away  to  quiet  your  fears  were  it  not  that 
I  have  made  a  positive  engagement  to  meet  some  one 
here,  in  my  own  house,  at  ten  o'clock  to-morrow  morn- 
ing" 

"Why  can't  you  write  and  put  off  the  engagement?" 

"  That  is  impossible." 

"  If  you  will  only  break  this  engagement  and  conceal 
yourself — if  you  will  do  just  this  one  thing — I  will  for- 
give you  all  your  neglect  for  these  two  long  years." 

But  Litzanoff  would  not  consent.  So  Nadege  passed 
the  night  in  anguish.  She  could  not  close  her  eyes  with- 
out seeing  her  husband  before  her  lying  in  a  gloomy 
dungeon,  or  loaded  with  chains  on  the  road  to  Siberia. 
She  awoke  very  early,  covered  with  a  cold  sweat. 

At  seven  o'clock  she  dressed  herself  and  went  over  to 
Stepane's  apartments,  and  again  renewed  her  entreaties. 

"  Why  cannot  you  break  this  engagement?  "  she  urged. 
"There  must  be  some  woman  mixed  up  with  it." 

"  No,  dear  child,  it  is  a  debt  of  honor,  and  I  have  prom- 
ised to  pay  it  at  ten  o'clock  punctually." 

Nadege  withdrew,  but  she  had  scarcely  reached  her 
own  room  when  she  heard  a  noise  in  the  court-yard.  She 
looked  out  and  saw  two  soldiers  guarding  the  entrance, 
while  two  more,  preceded  by  a  commissary  of  police, 
were  walking  in  the  direction  of  Stepane's  apartments. 
A  hack  was  standing  outside  the  door. 

At  that  moment  her  maid  entered. 

"  They  have  come  to  arrest  the  Count  !  "  she  said  ;  "-the 
house  is  surrounded  !  " 

Nadege,  wild  with  terror,  rushed  over  to  her  husband. 
He  was  in  bed. 

"  Make  haste  !  "  she  cried  ;  "get  up  !  The  police " 

She  had  not  time  to  say  another  word  before  the  commis- 
sary and  his  men  entered  the  room. 


THE  ARREST.  187 


"  Is  this  Count  Stepane  Litzanoff  ?  "  asked  the  commis- 
sary. 

u  It  is,"  answered  Stepanp,  rising. 

"  I  have  orders  to  arrest  you." 

"  Of  what  am  I  accused?  " 

"  Of  conspiracy  against  the  government." 

"  It  is  false." 

"  I  know  nothing  but  the  orders  that  I  have  received. 
You  can  explain  your  conduct  to  the  judges." 

"  Where  am  I  to  be  taken  ?  " 

"To  the  fortress  of  Petropavlosk."* 

Upon  hearing  these  words  Nadege  fainted. 

This  fortress  is  the  Bastiile  of  Russia.  The  darkest 
stories  are  told  of  the  horrible  martyrdoms  and  mysteri- 
ous crimes  of  which  it  has  been  the  silent  witness. 

"  Can  you  not  at  least  allow  me  a  short  time  to  arrange 
my  affairs  ?  I  give  you  my  word  of  honor  that  I  will 
make  no  effort  to  escape." 

"  It  is  impossible.     My  orders  are  strict ;  I  must  obey." 

Litzanoff  was  not  well.  In  his  desire  to  be  at  Prince 
KrylofPs  ball  the  night  before,  he  had  gone  out  too  soon; 
his  wound  was  but  partially  healed,  and  the  agitation 
and  the  annoyance  of  all  this  produced  violent  pain  and 
a  raging  fever.  Nevertheless  he  dressed  himself  and 
followed  the  soldiers. 

As  he  crossed  the  threshold  of  his  door,  he  heard  one 
piercing  cry.  It  was  poor  Nadege. 

The  fortress  of  Petropavlosk  has  its  rocky  foundations 
deep  under  the  waters  of  the  Neva.  It  is  situated  nearly 
opposite  the  Winter  Palace,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river.  Built  to  protect  Russia  against  the  Swedes,  it 
remained  to  imprison  the  Russians  themselves.  It  de- 
fends Petersburg,  but  still  more  does  it  threaten  it. 

What  dark  stories  could  that  fortress  tell  !  How 
many  sobs,  how  many  groans,  how  many  cries  of  rage  has 
it  stifled  within  its  gray  walls  ?  The  day  may  come,  and 
that  soon,  when  the  people  will  arise,  and  with  avenging 
power  penetrate  into  the  terrible  depths  and  darkness 
of  its  dungeons. 

*SS.  Peter  and  Paul. 


188  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Russia  has  its  laws,  its  judges,  its  juries  an (1;  yet  an 
inquisitorial  tribunal  can  pronounce  sentence,  condemn 
and  arrest,  without  trial. 

Litzanoff  was  led  away  to  the  Governor  of  the  fortress. 
He  could  hardly  stand  up  ;  to  overcome  his  physical 
weakness  he  had  to  exert  himself  to  the  uttermost. 

The  Governor  looked  at  him  attentively.  "  You  are 
not  well?"  he  inquired. 

"  I  have  two  slight  wounds,  which  are  annoying,  and 
they  have  caused  me  a  very  high  fever." 

"  Unfortunately,"  said  the  Governor,  "I  have  nothing 
at  my  disposal  except  No.  9,  which  is  very  cold  ;  in  a 
day  or  two  I  can  give  you  a  better  room." 

He  gave  an  order  to  the  turnkey,  who,  followed  by  the 
soldiers,  accompanied  Litzanoff  out  of  the  room.  He 
stopped  before  a  door,  and  threw  it  open. 

"  Follow  me,"  he  said. 

They  went  down  the  steps,  and  came  to  a  row  of  cells; 
but  they  did  not  stop  there.  They  descended  ten  more 
steps,  and  entered  into  a  dark  passage-way  which  runs 
below  the  level  of  the  river.  Lamps  suspended  from  the 
ceiling  gave  a  flickering  and  uncertain  light.  On  either 
side,  heavy  doors,  bristling  with  chains  and  bolts  and 
locks,  added  to  the  gloomy  look  of  this  labyrinth  ;  and  at 
the  end  of  the  corridor  was  an  enormous  grated  door 
more  overloaded  than  the  rest  with  bars  of  iron  and 
other  defenses..  This  opened  upon  the  Neva.  How 
many  have  gone  through  that  gate  to  their  death! 

Each  one  of  those  cells  has  its  own  sad  story.  It  was  in 
No.  12  that  the  fair  Princess  Tarakanoff,  who  was  incon- 
venient to  Catherine  I,  was  drowned  by  the  overflow  of 
the  Neva.  After  the  waters  had  fallen,  they  found  her 
body  partially  eaten  up  by  rats.  In  No.  11,  Batenka  un- 
derwent twenty-three  years  of  torture  rather  than  betray 
his  benefactor,  Speransky.  When  he  came  out,  he  could 
no  longer  speak  nor  bear  the  light  of  the  sun.  It  was  in 
No.  8  that  Netchaieff,  who  was  chained  to  the  wall,  went 
mad. 

Still  more  horrible  stories  than  these  are  told.     Some 


THE  ARREST.  189 


dungeons  are  built  in  the  shape  of  an  egg,  so  that  the 
prisoner  can  neither  sit  down  nor  lie  down  nor  stand  up- 
right; gradually  the  weight  of  the  body,  always  thrown 
out  of  position,  dislocates  all  the  joints.  They  say  that 
there  are  other  cells  in  which  the  captive,  chained  by  the 
middle  of  his  body  to  a  heavy  beam,  is  forced  to  gaze 
ceaselessly  upon  the  Neva  which  flows  beneath  him.  His 
imprisonment  is  a  continual  vertigo. 

Alexander  has  certainly  abolished  all  these  tortures. 
But  LitzanofF  knew  the  legends  attached  to  the  fortress; 
and  he  also  knew  that,  once  within  its  walls,  a  man  might 
remain  there  forgotten  for  years,  or  perhaps  forever. 

They  had  come  to  the  cell  intended  for  him.  It  was 
eight  feet  high;  the  walls  were  green  with  damp;  the  floor 
was  of  brick,  oozing  with  a  slimy  moisture.  This  gloomy 
enclosure  was  lighted  by  a  small  grated  window,  funnel- 
shaped,  which  admitted  a  melancholy,  doubtful  light.  And 
all  the  time  a  hoarse  murmur  could  be  heard;  it  was  the 
waters  of  the  Neva,  beating  against  the  walls. 

There  was  neither  bed  nor  sofa  nor  chair.  The  only 
piece  of  furniture  was  a  long  wooden  bench. 

At  first  Litzanoff  saw  nothing.  Exhausted  by  his 
fever,  he  wrapped  himself  in  his  fur  cloak,  and  lay  down 
on  the  bench.  The  only  thing  he  asked  for  was  water  ; 
for,  in  spite  of  the  cold,  he  was  consumed  with  thirst. 
His  mind  wandered.  Wanda's  dazzling  form  passed  be- 
fore him,  and  then  Nadege's  touching  face — the  two 
women  that  he  loved. 

Gradually  the  delirium  passed  away,  and  then  the 
horrible  reality  forced  itself  upon  him.  He  looked  around 
him,  and  he  saw  the  walls  of  his  dungeon. 

Then  he  arose,  oppressed  by  an  inexpressible  terrori 
He  was  stifling.  He  wanted  air,  light ;  he  shook  the 
bars  of  his  window,  he  beat  out  his  strength  against  the 
heavy  door.  He,  who  had  never  known  a  fetter  to  his 
will,  to  his  desires  —  here  he  found  invincible,  brutal 
obstacles  ;  walls  of  granite,  and  a  will  put  over  him 
which  he  knew  well  to  be  implacable. 

Wanda  !     He  could  not  see  her ;  perhaps  he  would 


190  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

never  see  her  again.  He  wept,  he  cried  aloud,  he  buried 
his  nails  in  his  flesh  ;  he  turned  upon  himself,  as  does 
a  lion  in  its  cage  ;  and  at  last,  utterly  exhausted,  he  sank 
powerless  upon  the  bench. 

A  man  brought  him  some  tea  and  his  ration,  a  piece 
of  black  bread  and  a  porringer  full  of  cabbage  cooked 
with  hemp-seed  oil.* 

Litzanoff  asked  for  paper,  pens  and  ink.  The  man 
paid  no  attention  to  him,  and  did  not  answer  him  a  word. 
The  Count  longed  to  fly  at  his  throat. 

Now  he  understood  nis  situation.  He  was  condemned 
to  silence. 

Night  came.  In  Petersburg  it  is  dark  at  three  o'clock, 
and  the  day  does  not  break  until  nine.  So  the  wretched 
prisoners  are  left  in  darkness  for  eighteen  hours. 

He  was  sitting  up  motionless,  when  something  soft  r.an 
over  his  hands.  It  must  be  a  rat.  He  shuddered  with 
horror,  and  thought  of  Princess  Tarakanoff. 

That  first  night  was  frightful.  The  fever  covered  his 
body  with  an  icy  sweat,  and  filled  his  cell  with  horrible 
shapes.  At  times  he  thought  he  was  going  mad  ;  his 
head  was  bursting  ;  then  sinking  fits  seized  him,  and  he 
thought  he  was  dying. 

Suddenly,  in  the  very  middle  of  the  night,  he  heard 
the  most  awful  shrieks  in  the  cell  adjoining  his  own. 
He  listened.  Where  did  these  cries  come  from?  There 
could  be  no  doubt  about  it — some  poor  wretch  next  door 
to  him  was  in  agony.  What  were  they  doing  to  him? 
Those  were  not  cries  of  pain.  Was  he  laughing?  Was 
he  singing,  after  a  wild,  incoherent  manner?  Certainly 
the  man  must  have  gone  mad. 

Stepane  felt  sure  that  if  his  confinement  lasted  any  length 
of  time  the  like  fate  would  overtake  him.  Lose  his 
reason!  How  much  better  would  it  be  to  die  1 

But  then  he  had  powerful  friends.  His  father  had 
some  influence  at  court.  Nadege  would  go  to  her  own 
family  ; — but  on  second  thoughts,  he  feared  they  would 
not  do  much  for  him  ;  he  had  alienated  the  affection  of 

•This  is  the  principal  food  of  the  Russian  common  people. 


THE  EXAMINATION.  191 

all  his  wife's  relations.  Besides,  when  a  man  is  in  dis- 
grace his  friends  soon  forget  him,  particularly  when 
they  are  under  a  government  which  for  the  slighest  sus- 
picion may  exile  or  imprison. 

When  the  day  began  to  break,  Litzanoff  grew  calmer. 
He  remembered  the  promise  he  had  given  to  Wanda 
two  days  before,  to  devote  his  life  to  the  socialist  cause. 
The  hour  had  come,  and  he  must  not  hesitate. 

At  this  thought  his  courage  returned,  and  he  deter- 
mined to  show  himself  worthy  of  the  love  that  Wanda 
had  promised  him. 

When,  at  ten  o'clock,  the  door  of  his  cell  opened,  he 
was  perfectly  calm,  almost  resigned. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  EXAMINATION". 

Two  soldiers  entered,  to  conduct  Count  Litzanoff  be- 
fore the  judge.  In  a  few  moments  he  found  himself  in 
the  presence  of  a  tribunal  composed  of  two  blue  officers, 
the  judge,  and  his  clerk. 

Litzanoff  understood  that  the  situation  was  a  serious 
one — that  his  life  was  at  stake.  And  still  he  thought  of 
nothing  but  Wanda.  To  be  worthy  of  her,  to  turn  away 
all  suspicion  from  her,  to  sacrifice  himself  if  necessary — 
these  were  his  only  thoughts. 

"  Count  Litzanoff,"  said  the  judge,  "you  are  accused 
of  having  yesterday,  in  Prince  KrylofFs  drawing-room, 
attacked  the  Czar  and  his  government  in  the  most  out- 
rageous terms,  calculated  to  bring  contempt  upon  the 
Emperor  and  his  Imperial  government." 

"  I  did  not  attack  the  Emperor.  I  confined  myself  to 
criticising  Official  Russia.  Every  one  knows  that  the  priv- 
iliges  of  our  nobility  are  exorbitant.  I  blamed  Trepoff, 


192  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

who  has  flogged  a  political  prisoner;  but,  gentlemen,  do 
any  of  you  approve  of  that  act?  " 

"  We  are  not  here,"  said  one  of  the  blue  officers,  "  to 
answer  questions,  but  to  ask  them." 

"  You  give  us  to  understand,"  said  the  judge,  "by  your 
mode  of  conversation,  that  you  are  connected  with  these 
dangerous  nihilists,  who  desire  the  destruction  of  the 
Government,  and  the  utter  upheaval  of  society." 

"I  belong  to  no  community,"  answered  Litzanoff. 
"This  is  the  whole  truth:  I  was  reading  a  book  criticis- 
ing our  social  system;  it  struck  me  very  forcibly,  and  I 
allowed  myself  to  be  carried  away  by  its  arguments  so  as 
'to  quote  them  in  an  excited  •  manner,  and  to  lose  my 
temper  in  the  presence  of  a  dozen  gentlemen,  in  a  way 
which  I  fear  will  cost  me  dearly." 

"It  is  not  a  question  of  temper,"  said  the  magistrate, 
"  but  of  a  violent,  bitter  diatribe  that  you  permitted 
yourself  to  utter,  resembling  exactly  the  Nihilist  modes 
of  speech.  At  this  moment  we  hold  in  custody  at  the 
Palace  of  Justice  one  hundred  and  ninety-three  prison- 
ers, who  express  themselves  in  the  same  manner  with 
yourself." 

"  I  do  not  understand  you,  as  I  am  not  acquainted  with 
any  nihilists." 

"  How  did  you  obtain  your  socialist  books  ?  They  are 
prohibited,"  said  the  judge. 

"  I  did  not  obtain  them." 

"  Who  gave  them  to  you  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  What !  you  do  not  know  ?  " 

"No.     I  found  them  lying  on  the  table  in  my  study." 

"I  adjure  you,  for  your  own  sake,"  said  the  judge, 
"  tell  me  the  truth  ;  and  the  Emperor,  in  consideration 
of  your  honesty  and  your  youth,  may  pardon  you." 

"  I  have  told  you  the  truth.  I  am  entirely  innocent 
of  any  plot  against  the  Emperor." 

"And  yet  you  gave  a  hundred  roubles  to  an  agent  of 
the  police  to  prevent  him  from  following  you  ?" 

Litzanoff  repeated  what  Wanda  had  said  to  Trepoff. 


THE  EXAMINATION.  193 

"  How  long  have  you  known  Princess  "Wanda  Kryloff  ?" 

At  this  question,  Litzanoff  could  not  prevent  a  slight 
shudder. 

"  Ever  since  my  marriage,"  he  answered. 

"Your  friendship  with  her  has  been  interrupted  from 
time  to  time  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  From  what  cause?  " 

"  That  I  cannot  tell  you,  for  I  do  not  know.  Some 
woman's  fancy,  I  suppose." 

"  Within  the  last  eight  days  you  have  seen  her  fre- 
quently. How  often?" 

He  answered  without  any  hesitation.     "  Four  times. " 

"  Have  the  goodness  to  say  under  what  circumstances." 

"  There  are  some  details  of  my  private  life  that  I  am  not 
willing  to  reveal." 

"  Take  care — your  silence  will  only  compromise  the 
Princess." 

"That  is  true,"  thought  Litzanoff;  and  he  at  once  re- 
lated his  connections  with  the  Polish  adventuress,  and  his 
reconcilation  with  his  wife  through  the  mediation  of  Wan- 
da. The  judge  asked  a  great  many  questions  about  the 
Polish  lady,  and  then,  reverting  to  the  Princess  Kryloff, 
he  asked: 

"  What  was  the  meaning  of  the  stabs  that  you  received 
in  the  Princess's  boudoir?" 

"  I  struck  myself." 

"  Why?  from  what  motive?  " 

At  this  question,  Litzanoff  lost  his  temper. 

"  Am  I  not  to  be  allowed  to  scratch  myself  without  giv- 
ing an  account  of  it  to  the  Government?" 

"  Has  Princess  Kryloff  ever  spoken  to  you  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  nihilists  ?" 

"  Never." 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  it  was  she  who  had  those  books 
placed  upon  your  table?" 

"  Not  at  all;  on  the  contrary,  I  am  certain  it  was  not 
she." 

"  What  do  you  base  your  conviction  upon?" 
13 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


"Upon  the  relations  which  exist  between  her  and 
my  wife  —  relations  of  a  purely  friendly  character." 

"  Are  you  acquainted  with  the  other  friends  of  the 
Princess?" 

"  The  Princess,  by  her  rank,  has  the  highest  position 
in  Petersburg  society.  I  do  not  think  you  will  find  many 
Nihilists  among  them." 

"And  yet  yesterday  you  used  these  words:  '"We,  the 
nihilists.'  " 

Litzanoff  's  pale  face  colored.  The  judge  noticed  it, 
and  fixed  his  eyes  intently  upon  the  Count.  This  ex- 
asperated LitzanoiF. 

"  I  don't  remember  having  used  any  such  language," 
he  exclaimed,  petulantly. 

"You  pronounced  those  words  in  Prince  Kryloff's 
smoking-room,  in  the  presence  of  Prince  Stackelberg." 

"  If  that  gentleman  repeated  our  conversation,  you 
know  by  this  time  that  he  is  much  more  of  a  socialist 
than  I  am.  How  do  you  know  that  I  was  not  trying  to 
find  out  his  real  opinions?  I  thought  it  was  he  who 
wanted  to  join  the  revolutionary  party." 

"  The  Government  knows  what  to  think  of  the  charac- 
ter and  opinions  of  Prince  Stackelberg." 

''And  so  do  I,"  answered  Litzanoff,  with  a  sneer. 

At  these  words  the  other  member  of  the  court,  who 
up  to  that  time  had  not  spoken,  interrupted. 

"Take  care,  Count  Litzanoff,"  he  said.  "You  are  ag- 
gravating your  situation,  which  is  already  bad  enough. 
We  are  upon  the  track  of  ail  extensive  conspiracy.  You 
can  obtain  your  freedom  by  assisting  us  —  for  in  spite  of 
your  denial  we  are  certain  that  you  are  in  collusion  with 
the  enemies  of  the  Government.  It  is  a  matter  of  the 
highest  importance  to  us  to  know  the  name  of  the  per- 
son who  initiated  you  into  this  socialist  society.  Give  us 
his  name,  and  you  are  instantly  released." 

At  this,  Litzanoff  was  seized  with  a  sort  of  delirium. 
His  fever  was  raging,  his  blood  was  on  fire. 

"Who  initiated  me!  You  want  to  know  who  initiated 
me!  You  have  done  it  yourselves!  From  this  moment 


THE  EXAMINATION.  195 

I  am  a  socialist!  You  have  no  right  to  put  an  innocent 
man  to  such  torture,  to  ask  me  such  questions,  to. ..." 

"Count  Litzanoff,"  interrupted  the  grave  personage, 
"  remember  the  respect  due  to  the  magistrate." 

"  You  ask  me  if  I  am  a  socialist.  I  answer,  I  am  a 
socialist,  and  I  protest  against  your  inquisitorial  tribu- 
nals, your  arrests,  your  arbitrary  judgments.  I  com- 
plain, as  Bestucheff  did,  that  the  Emperor  can  do  every- 
thing, and  that  the  people  can  do  nothing.  I  complain 
that  you  can  arrest  me  unjustly,  and  that  I  have  no  re- 
dress. And  now  you  can  ask  me  what  you  choose.  I  will 
not  answer  another  question." 

But  the  judge  went  on  with  his  examination,  while  all 
the  time  Stepane  held  a  sullen  silence. 

"  You  are  only  aggravating  your  situation,"  said  alter- 
nately the  judge  and  the  blue  officers. 

"  What  does  it  matter?  "  at  last  he  cried;  "  perhaps  to- 
morrow I  shall  be  dead." 

They  asked  him  several  questions  about  Princess  Kry- 
loff.  They  were  asked  in  vain. 

Then  the  clerk  handed  the  examination  to  the  prisoner 
for  him  to  read  and  sign.  Litzanoff  cast  his  eyes  down 
the  page,  and  as  he  read  the  veins  in  his  forehead  swelled 
and  he  uttered  the  most  indignant  exclamations.  His 
answers,  as  well  as  his  silence,  were  so  interpreted  as  to 
bear  witness  to  the  existence  of  a  secret  society,  and  to 
acknowledge  that  he  was  connected  with  it. 

"  I  will  not  sign  that !  "  he  said,  throwing  the  paper 
down  with  contempt.  "It  is  an  infamous  tissue  of 
lies." 

"You  will  not  sign  it?"  said  the  judge. 

«  No." 

"Is  that  your  determination?" 

« It  is." 

"  Then  we  who  have  signed  it  are  liars?" 

"  If  you  call  lying  not  telling  the  truth." 

"You  are  indeed  a  rebel,"  added  the  grave  personage. 
"  We  want  no  other  proof." 

"  In  truth,"  cried   Litzanoff,  beside  himself  with  rage, 


196  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  I  want  a  revolution  to  deliver  us  from  Russian  justice. 
I  see  your  aim;  you  will  have  a  conspiracy  and  con- 
spirators, cost  what  it  may;  you  want  a  victim,  and  as  I 
have  fallen  into  your  hands, -I  am  to  be  sacrificed.  I 
hope  that  the  nihilists  will  avenge  me  !  " 

"  Do  you  still  refuse  to  sign  this  paper?  "  asked  one  of 
the  blue  officers. 

"  I  do  refuse." 

"  Then  we  will  wait  until  solitude  and  silence  bring 
you  to  a  better  state  of  mind." 

"Yes,"  replied  Litzanoff,  "you   expect   darkness  and 
the  torture  of  solitude  to  produce  their  usual  effect  upon 
me.     But    my  will  shall   triumph  over  the  weakness  of 
my  body." 

The  blue  officer  turned  to  one  of  the  soldiers.  "  Re- 
move the  prisoner,"  he  said. 

For  more  than  an  hour  Litzanoff  had  been  battling 
with  his  fever.  It  was  now  at  its  height ;  and  as  they  ad- 
vanced to  seize  him,  he  fell  senseless  to  the  floor.  They 
were  obliged  to  take  him  up  in  their  arms. 

When  he  came  to  his  senses,  he  had  chains  upon  his 
feet. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

SOUND   REASONS. 

THE  EMPEROR  had  said  to  the  Chief  of  Police:  "There 
is  a  conspiracy  on  foot  against  my  government  and  my 
person  ;  it  extends  to  my  nobility,  even  to  my  army. 
Discover  it." 

For  fifteen  days,  the  Third  Section  sought  and  found 
nothing. 

Litzanoff  had  dared  address  General  Trepoff  with  in- 
solence ;  naturally  he  must  be  a  socialist,  attached  to 
some  secret  society.  His  antecedents,  his  eccentricity, 


SOUND  REASONS.  197 

his  contempt  for  public  opinion,  his  courage,  his  youth,  all 
pointed  him  out  as  the  proper  person  .to  suspect. 

He  must  be  forced  to  speak.  That  would  be  no  diffi- 
cult task.  This  volatile  young  fellow,  well  known  for 
his  indolent  and  effeminate  life,  was  not  made  out  of  the 
stuff  of  heroes.  So  instead  of  sending  him  to  the  Third 
Section  and  treating  him  with  the  usual  forms,  they  shut 
him  up  in  one  of  the  gloomiest  cells  of  the  fortress,  and 
exercised  towards  him  the  utmost  severity.  They  thought 
that  a  few  days  of  solitary  confinement  would  bring  him 
to  his  senses,  and  make  him  communicative. 

It  is  true  that  Trepoff  had  promised  Wanda  that  Ste- 
pane  should  not  be  arrested  for  his  insolence  to  the 
General ;  but  Stackelberg's  subsequent  report  had  put 
another  face  on  the  matter.  He  repeated  his  conversa- 
tion with  the  Count,  carefully  aggravating  and  falsifying 
its  sense. 

"  After  all,"  thought  Trepoff,  "  what  is  a  promise  made 
to  a  pretty  woman,  when  opposed  to  sound  reasons  which 
affect  the  State  ?  " 

As  soon  as  Nadege  had  sufficiently  recovered  from  the 
shock  caused  by  her  husband's  arrest,  she  realized  that 
there  was  not  a  moment  to  lose,  and  she  hastened  to 
see  Wanda. 

Wanda  was  in  bed,  fast  asleep.  Nadege  threw  her- 
self into  her  arms,  sobbing  convulsively.  "  Save  him  ! 
save  him  !  "  she  cried.  "  You  and  Padlewsky  have  been 
the  ruin  of  him  !  Ah,  this  accursed  socialism  !  Where 
can  I  go  to  find  him,  to  take  care  of  my  poor  Stepane  ? 
He  is  ill,  and  they  will  murder  him.  Perhaps  they  will 
send  him  to  Siberia  ! " 

'  Wanda  did  not  say  one  word  ;  she  sat  up  in  bed,  and 
looking  straight  before  her,  seemed  lost  in  thought. 

"  Who  signed  the  order  for  the  arrest  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  do  not  know  ;  but  I  think  they  want  his  life,  for  as 
I  came  out  I  met  two  persons  on  the  stair-case,  who  said 
they  came  from  Prince  Stackelberg.  I  insisted  upon 
knowing  the  motive  of  their  visit,  and  they  answered 
that,  as  the  Count  was  arrested,  they  could  tell  me  with- 


198  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

out  hesitation  ;  they  had  come  to  arrange  the  prelimin- 
aries for  an  affair  of  honor,  a  duel." 

"At  what  time  did  you  meet  them?  " 

"At  nine  o'clock.  It  must  have  been  this  duel  which 
prevented  him  from  going  away  last  night,  as  you  recom- 
mended him  to  do.  He  was  waiting  to  see  his  adver- 
sary's seconds." 

"I  see  through  it  all,"  said  Wanda.  "That  scoundrel 
Stackelberg  managed  the  whole  affair.  The  coward  !  I 
will  avenge  your  husband,  I  promise  you.  But  first  of 
all  we  must  get  him  out  of  the  hands  of  the  police." 

"  Oh,  yes,  make  haste  !  "  cried  Nadege.  "  Poor  Ste- 
pane  1  he,  in  prison  !  he  could  never  bear  the  least  re- 
straint. Tell  me,  what  can  we  do?" 

"You  must  go  to  your  father;  he  has  some  influence 
with  the  Emperor.  No  one  but  the  Czar  can  open  the 
gates  of  the  fortress.  We  will  not  have  recourse  to  vio- 
lent measures  until  we  have  exhausted  all  others." 

"But,"  answered  Nadege,  "my  father  is  very  timid; 
he  hates  the  nihilists.  And  then  he  has  seen  my  un- 
happiness  for  the  last  two  years,  and  he  is  not  likely  to 
trouble  himself  to  set  at  liberty  the  man  who  has  caused 
me  so  many  tears." 

"I  know  all  that;  but  you  must  go  to  see  him.  Per- 
haps he  may  do  something  for  us.  The  main  thing  is  to 
see  the  Emperor  immediately.  I  will  write  to  Verenine  to 
come  to  me  at  once.  He  has  access  to  the  palace  at  all 
hours  of  the  day,  and  we  can  send  through  him  a  protest 
against  this  arbitrary  arrest." 

She  jumped  out  of  bed,  wrote  a  note  to  Verenine,  and 
then  proceeded  to  dress  herself. 

Her  grief  was  terrible.  She  reproached  herself  with 
Litzanoff 's  arrest;  she  knew  he  was  ill  and  wounded,  and 
she  feared  that  the  severity  of  the  prison,  together  with 
his  bad  health,  would  kill  him.  In  her  dark  eyes  could 
be  read  an  intense  anger  as  well  as  an  intense  sorrow. 
With  whom  was  she  angry? 

With  the  Chief  of -Police,  who  had  broken  his  word  to 
her,  and  with  that  flabby  German  Stackelberg. 


SOUND  SEASONS.  190 

Following  Wanda's  advice,  Nadege  went  to  her  father's 
house.  He  was  the  type  of  a  true  Russian.  To  him 
the  Czar  was  a  fetish.  When  the  Czar  spoke,  it  was  as 
though  God  himself  had  uttered  his  voice.  If  he  had 
been  imprisoned,  exiled,  flogged,  by  the  order  of  the  Em- 
peror, he  would  have  accepted  it  with  resignation,  per- 
haps even  with  gratitude.  It  is  thus  with  all  the  pious 
inhabitants  of  Russia;  they  look  upon  the  Czar  as  the 
veritable  representative  of  the  Deity. 

When  Nadege  told  him  of  her  husband's  arrest,  he 
raised  his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  sighed: 

"  May  the  will  of  God  and  of  the  Emperor  be  done  in 
all  things,  my  child." 

"But,"  exclaimed  Nadege,  "we  must  save  him;  we 
must  get  him  out  of  prison.  He  is  ill,  and  perhaps  they 
have  locked  him  up  in  one  of  the  dampest  cells  in  the 
fortress." 

"  No  one  can  get  him  out  except  the  Emperor." 

"That  is  just  it.  I  want  to  know  if  you  will  not  see 
him  for  me." 

"  In  the  first  place,  tell  me  of  what  do  they  accuse 
Litzanoff  ?  " 

"  Of  being  a  socialist." 

"A  socialist!"  exclaimed  Nadege's  father;  "has  ho 
fallen  so  low  as  that?  " 

"  Dear  father,  it  is  altogether  a  mistake  of  the  po- 
lice." 

"  Ah,  well,  then  they  will  soon  find  out  their  mistake 

and  set  him  at  liberty.     If  he  is  guilty,  he  ousrht    to   be 

.  ,     -,  „  *  o      ji  o 

punished. 

"  I  assure  you  he  is  innocent.  If  you  would  go  to  the 
Emperor  you  might  lessen  the  severity  of  his  punish- 
ment." 

"His  punishment?"  continued  the  -old  man.  "It  is 
wrong  to  accuse  the  police  of  unnecessary  severity 
towards  the  prisoners.  It  is  the  socialists  who  represent 
the  government  of  the  Czar  as  cruel  and  unjust.  And 
how  could  your  husband  be  accused,  if  he  has  not  given 
them  some  reason  to  suspect  him?" 


200  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Nadege  told  him  in  a  few  words  what  had  happened 
the  night  before  at  Prince  Kryloff's  ball.  This  tale  filled 
the  old  man  with  indignation. 

"  He  dared  blaspheme  in  that  manner  against  the  Em- 
peror, and  you  say  he  is  not  guilty?  If  the  nobles  at- 
tack our  society  in  this  manner,  whom  can  we  expect  to 
defend  it?  Nihil,  Nihil,  nothing,  nothing — that  is  their 
whole  system  of  philosophy.  Nihil — that  is  to  say,  no 
God;  Nihil — that  is  to  say,  no  authority;  Nihil — that  is  to 
say,  no  Emperor;  Nihil — no  government;  Nihil — no  prop- 
erty; Nihil — no  family;  Nihil — no  religion.  Down  with 
morals,  conscience,  human  respect.  Nothing  to  guide  a 
man  but  his  brutal  instincts.  Every  principle  upon  which 
society  rests  is  a  prejudice.  Yes,  yes;  I  have  no  doubt 
that  Stepane  is  a  Nihilist.  I  have  often  heard  him  ex- 
press opinions  which  have  made  me  shudder.  And  his 
conduct  looks  like  it.  He  respects  no  one;  he  revels  in 
every  baseness;  and  how  has  he  not  tortured  you,  poor 
child,  who  adore  him?  And  you  can  forget  all  that,  and 
ask  me  to  obtain  his  pardon?.  Never,  never!  If  they 
send  him  to  Siberia,  well  and  good;  he  will  be  dead  in 
the  eyes  of  the  law,  and  you  will  be  free  to  marry  another 
man  who  may  make  you  happy." 

"Father,"  said  Nadege,  v'l  love  my  husband, and  if  he 
goes  to  Siberia  I  will  follow  him." 

"  You  would  leave  your  old  father  to  follow  that  mis- 
erable fellow?" 

"  It  is  my  duty.  I  loved  him  when  he  was  rich  and, 
happy;  and  now  that  he  is  unfortunate,  I  love  him  still 
more.  I  beg  you,  dear  father,  intercede  with  the  Em- 
peror for  him." 

"I  will  never  ask  the  Czar  for  a  favor  to  a  socialist.  If 
your  husband  is  arrested,  there  are  sound  reasons  for  his 
arrest.  He  will  be  tried,  and  then  we  shall  see  whether 
he  is  innocent  or  guilty.  After  all,  a  few  months  of  con- 
finement will  do  him  a  great  deal  of  good." 

"  But  suppose  they  do  not  give  him  a  trial?  You  know 
that  political  prisoners  are  often  hurried  off  to  Siberia, 
or  allowed  to  perish  in  their  cells." 


THE  PETITION.  201 


"  Those  are  fables  invented  by  the  Nihilists." 

Nadege  mentioned  several  persons  who  had  disap- 
peared very  suddenly  from  society. 

"  Without  doubt  there  were  sound  reasons  for  con- 
demning them,"  answered  her  father.  "And  take  care, 
my  child,  not  to  talk  disrespectfully  against  those  put 
over  us  in  authority." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Nadege,  exasperated,  "  if  they  will 
not  give  me  back  my  husband,  I  will  turn  nihilist  too!  I 
hate  a  government  that  tolerates  such  iniquity." 

The  old  Russian  rose  up,  and  said  in  a  severe,  irritated 
tone: 

"  And  if  you  do,  Nadege,  I  renounce  you  as  my  child 
forever." 

Nadege  left  her  father  in  a  state  of  violent  grief  and 
despair.  She  returned  to  her  own  house.  It  was  being 
searched.  All  Stepane's  drawers  had  been  broken  open; 
all  his  papers  and  books  were  seized. 

"  Take  everything!  " said  Nadege;  "search everywhere, 
and  you  will  find  that  he  is  innocent." 

She  did  not  know  that  the  very  day  before  Padlewsky 
had  sent  a  lot  of  prohibited  books  to  Stepane. 

The  commissary  of  police,  who  was  directing  the  search, 
gave  a  singular  smile  at  her  words.  That  smile  alarmed 
her.  She  set  out  again  to  go  to  Wanda. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


THE   PETITION. 


VEREXTNE  answered  his  pretty  cousin's  letter  imme- 
diately. He  was  in  a  great  state  of  mind  himself.  He  had 
gone  that  morning  to  the  palace,  where  he  was  on  duty, 
and  had  been  informed  that,  agreeably  to  the  orders  of 
the  Emperor,  his  position  was  filled. 

He  was  in  disgrace.     How  long  would  it  last?     Doubt- 


202  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

less  the  Czar  suspected  him  of  being  mixed  up  with  the 
Nihilists.  Litzanoff  had  been  arrested;  he  might  expect 
the  same  himself. 

"Why  don't  you  hide?"  said  Wanda, 

"  That  would  be  confessing  myself  guilty;  and  how  can 
I  run  away?"  he  added,  sighing,  and  casting  a  look  of 
mingled  anguish  and  love  at  Wanda. 

She  understood  that  look,  and  it  touched  her  with  a 
species  of  remorse.  But  since  Verenine  was  in  disgrace 
he  could  be  of  no  use  whatever  to  the  cause,  and  his 
lukewarmness,  and  vacillation  might  lead  him  to  commit 
grave  mistakes.  He  was  too  timid,  too  susceptible,  to 
keep  a  secret.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  was  quite 
useless,  nay,  even  cruel,  to  lead  him  to  believe  that  she 
could  ever  love  him. 

"Dear  Alexis,''  she  said,  "I  have  something  to  tell 
you  ;  but  I  do  not  know  how  to  begin,  for  I  am  afraid 
it  will  distress  you." 

"Are  you  going  to  leave  Petersburg?  "  asked  Verenine. 

"No,  not  just  now." 

"Ah,  if  I  should  not  be  able  to  see  you  ! " 

"  You  love  me,  I  am  sure,  and  that  is  precisely  the 
thing  that  embarrasses  me." 

"Wanda,  are  you  going  to  be  married? " 

"Yes— and  no." 

"  What-  do  you  mean  ?  " 

Verenine  could  hardly  speak;  he  was  livid.  Wanda 
took  pity  on  him. 

"  Yes,  I  am  going  to  be  married  without  being  married. 
The  cause  demands  all  my  energies;  I  am  not  allowed  to 
think  of  any  selfish  affection.  Always  on  the  point  of  ar- 
rest or  of  transportation  to  Siberia,  I  have  no  right  to 
dream  of  love,  rior  of  any  great  happiness." 

"  Explain  what  you  mean,  Wanda;  you  are  killing  me." 

"  1  am  going  to  marry  so  that  I  can  come  into  possess- 
ion of  my^  mother's  fortune,  which  is  now  held  by  my 
father.  Do  you  understand?" 

"  But  why  do  you  not  choose  me  for  your  husband?  " 

"  Because  yoxr  are  in  love  with  me." 


THE  PETITION.  203 


"  But  I  will  promise  to  respect  you  as  if  you  were  my 
sister." 

"  No,  Alexis,  it  is  impossible.  Besides,  I  have  other 
reasons.  You  are  a  nobleman,  you  are  rich,  you  are  a 
Russian;  I  wish  none  of  these  things." 

"  Ah,  I  understand,"  said  Verenine,  looking  down  to 
prevent  her  from  seeing  the  tears  in  his  eyes,  "  you  have 
selected  Monsieur  Chabert  ;  but  he  is  in  love  with  you, 
too." 

"'How  do  you  know  that?  " 

"  I  saw  it  plainly  enough.  Wanda!  Wanda!  before 
you  enter  into  such  relations  with  him,  reflect  what  you 
are  doing.  Are  you  sure  of  him?  can  you  trust  his  honor, 
his  loyalty,  his  unselfishness,  his  disinterestedness?" 

"  His  disinterestedness?  He  knows  nothing  of  my  in- 
tention." 

"  Then,"  said  Verenine,  "  listen  to  my  last  entreaty. 
Remember  how  long  I  have  loved  you;  since  my  child- 
hood I  have  always  been  devoted  to  you ;  have  I  not  always 
tried  to  please  you  and  to  keep  my  love  from  troubling 
you?  " 

"  But,  dear  Alexis,  it  would  be  unendurable  for  me  to 
have  a  husband  who  would  be  always  complaining  about 
my  cruelty,  my  coldness,  my  insensibility." 

"But  don't  you  think  that  other  men  will  be  just  as 
importunate  as  I  am?  As  it  is  not  a  question  of  love 
with  you,  why  cannot  you  trust  yourself  to  my  honor? 
Wanda,  let  me  be  your  husband,  at  least  in  name.  It 
would  be  something  to  me  to  see  you  every  day." 

"  My  good  Verenine,  I  have  perfect  confidence  in 
you,  but  I  cannot  do  what  you  ask  me.  I  have  confided 
this  secret  to  you,  because  I  do  not  wish  any  longer  to  be 
an  obstacle  in  your  career.  I  do  not  think  there  is  in  you 
the  stuff  for  a  conspirator.  Listen  to  me,  and  take  my 
advice:  Marry  some  sweet  good  woman  who  will  love 
you.  You  are  neither  romantic  nor  adventurous.  To 
speak  plainly,  your  timidity  would  be  embarrassing  and 
even  dangerous  to  me  in  the  career  which  I  have  marked 
out  for  myself." 


204:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"You  are  punishing  me  very  heavily  for  my  hesita- 
tion." 

"  We  have  to  be  what  we  are,  my  dear  Alexis.  There 
is  nothing  in  what  I  have  said  which  should  possibly  wound 
you." 

At  this  moment,  Nadege  came  in.  She  told  her  friend 
of  her  unsuccessful  interview  with  her  father.  She  was 
in  despair. 

Wanda  looked  at  the  two  loving,  gentle  weak  crea- 
tures before  her,  and  said  to  herself,  "  How  happy  these 
two  could  have  been  together!  "  She  stood  lost  in  thought 
for  some  time,  then  she  said: 

"  Wre  must  address  a  petition  to  the  Emperor.  Will 
you  take  it,  Alexis?" 

"  Yes,  I  will  carry  it  to  the  Grand  Duke.  If  the  Em- 
peror is  kind  and  liberal,  the  Grand  Duke  is  still  more 
so." 

"You  adore  despotism,  Verenine,"  said  Wanda,  se- 
verely. 

"I  condemn  the  system;  but  I  render  justice  to  the 
men." 

Nadege  seized  a  pen  and  tried  to  write;  but  her  hand 
trembled  so  that  she  could  not.  Wanda  took  the  pen  out 
of  her  fingers,  and  in  a  large,  bold,  rapid  haud,  traced  the 
following  words: 

r  "  SIRE:  An  act  of  injustice  has  been  committed  in 
your  name,  by  the  agents  of  the  secret  police.  Count 
Stepane  Litzanoff,  my  husband,  was  arrested  this  morn- 
ing, and  is  now  confined  in  the  fortress  of  Petropavlosk. 
What  was  the  cause  of  this  arrest?  A  few  words  of  dis- 
approval elicited  by  the  conduct  of  General  Trepoff-  in 
flogging  Bogoluboff,  a  political  prisoner.  As  corporal 
punishment  has  been  abolished  by  command  of  Your 
Majesty,  why  is  it  considered  a  crime  to  blame  an  officer 
for  disobedience  to  your  law? 

"  Count  Litzanoff,  who  is  ill  of  a  fever,  was  dragged 
from  his  bed,  to  be  immured'  in  a  damp,  cold  dungeon. 
This  arrest  may  cause  his  death.  I  dare  come  before 


THE  PETITION.  205 


Your  Majesty,  to  ask  if  a  few  imprudent  words  are  to  be 
punished  by  death?  I  appeal  to  your  great  goodness,  to 
your  lofty  sense  of  justice,  to  obtain  his  immediate  re- 
lease, or  at  least  his  transportation  into  a  hospital,  where 
I  can  be  near  him,  and  take  care  of  him. 
"I  remain  Your  Majesty's  humble  subject, 

"  NADEGE  LITZANOFF." 

Verenine  went  away  at  once,  taking  the  letter  with 
him. 

"  If  this  does  not  succeed,"  said  Wanda,  "  I  will  try 
something  else." 

"  What  will  you  try?"  asked  Nadege. 

"I  cannot  tell  you,  my  child;  I  do  not  think  you  are 
strong  enough  to  be  trusted  with  our  secrets.  With  your 
weeping  eyes  and  pale  face,  you  do  not  seem  to  me  made 
of  the  stuff  of  which  heroes  and  martyrs  are  formed." 

"You  do  not  know  me,  Wanda  ;  I  am  a  Slav,  and 
although  1  look  so  frail,  I  have  within  me  a  mighty 
power.  If  they  will  not  give  me  back  Stepane,  you  will 
see  of  what  I  am  capable." 

Wanda  touched  a  bell,  and  Katia  appeared. 

"  Bring  me  my  hat  and  coat  ;  and  if  Raymond  Chabert 
calls  while  I  am  out,  tell  him  to  wait  for  me,  or  else  to 
come  back  to-morrow  morning." 

She  drove  off  with  Nadege,  whom  she  left  at  her  own 
door  ;  and  then,  asking  her  to  lend  her  her  carriage  for 
a  while,  she  drove  on  to  Padlewsky's. 

Padlewsky  lived  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Neva,  in  a 
little  house  full  of  flowers  and  birds  and  animals  of  all 
kinds.  After  passing  five  hours  of  each  day  in  the 
office  of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior,  he  came  home  to 
this  little  place,  which  he  called  his  hermitage. 

In  fact,  this  quiet,  respectable  hermitage  was  a  ren- 
dezvous for  the  socialists.  All  his  servants,  of  whom  he 
had  ten,  were  socialists  in  disguise. 

Although  this  was  his  home,  he  was  but  seldom  to  be 
found  in  it ;  and  Wanda  was  unwilling  to  bring  Nadege 
with  her,  because  she  knew  in  all  probability  she  would 


2G6  A  NIHILIST  PKINCESS. 

have  to  look  for  him  in  one  of  his  secret  hiding-places. 

She  rang  the  bell.  The  faithful  Koroleff  came  down 
to  open  the  door. 

"  Is  Padlewsky  in  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Is  your  business  urgent  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Come  in,"  he  said,  curtly. 

Wanda  got  into  the  carriage  again.  Koroleff  seated 
himself  beside  the  coachman.  They  drove  aloiig  the 
quay  as  far  as  Vassili  Ostrow.  Then  Koroleff  got  down 
and  opened  the  door.  "  Send  your  carriage  away,"  he 
said  in  French.  Wanda  ordered  Nadege's  coachman  to 
drive  home. 

Vassili  Ostrow  is  the  largest  and  most  considerable  of 
the  islands  in  the  Neva.  It  is  not  only  an  important  com- 
mercial center,  as  it  contains  the  Exchange,  but  it  is  also 
the  part  of  the  city  in  which  the  University  and  the  Pub- 
lic Schools  are  situated.  Formerly  Vassili  Ostrow  was 
called  the  German  quarter;  for  then  both  science  and 
trade  were  in  the  hands  of  the  Germans.  And  even  now 
German  is  as  frequently  spoken  as  Russian  in  this  pop- 
ulous portion  of  Petersburg. 

It  presents  quite  a  different  aspect  from  the  fashion- 
able part  of  the  town.  There  are  no  brilliant  uniforms, 
no  elegant  dressing,  no  handsome  equipages.  Along 
the  quays  the  boatmen  and  the  sailors  are  at  work.  On 
the  large  squares  and  in  the  narrow  streets  men  and  wo- 
men are  seen  with  books  under  their  arms.  The 
private  houses  are  small;  there  are  no  handsome  ware- 
houses, such  as  can  be  found  in  the  Perspective  Newsky, 
but  little  modest  shops  where  one  can  buy  the  neces- 
saries of  life. 

Koroleff  led  Wanda  into  a  shop  outside  of  which  were 
hanging  old  clothes. 

"  Come  in  here,"  he  said.  "  You  cannot  go  with  me 
dressed  as  you  are  in  that  handsome  cloak  and  hat." 

"  Can  you  loan  me  a  coat  and  hat  and  pair  of  felt  boots 
for  a  few  hours?"  said  he  to  the  shopwoman,  who  has- 
tened forward  at  the  sight  of  Wanda. 


THE  PETITION.  207 


"  Here  is  a  very  good  cloak,"  she  said. 

"That  will  do,"  answered  Koroleff,  taking  off  Wanda's 
covering.  "We  will  leave  this  with  you  until  we  return. 
Now  give  me  that  waterproof  and  that  black  straw  hat." 

"  They  belonged  to  a  Nihilist  who  has  just  been  ar- 
rested," said  the  woman.  "His  landlord  sold  them  to 
me  to  get  rid  of  them;  he  was  afraid  they  would  com- 
promise him." 

"  Put  on  this  waterproof,"  said  Koroleff  to  Wanda; 
"pull  the  hat  down  over  your  eyes;  now  let  us  go." 

They  turned  into  the  street  that  runs  between  the 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts  and  the  School  of  Cadets.  It  was 
the  first  time  that  Wanda  had  ever  penetrated  into  this 
part  of  the  town,  curious  alike  by  its  aspect  and  by  the 
strange  population  that  inhabit  it. 

To  what  class  do  these  strange  beings  belong?  These 
young  men  are  invariably  dressed  in  greasy,  ragged  fur 
clothes;  they  have  intelligent,  expressive  faces;  but  at 
the  same  time  they  are  cold  and  sad.  They  walk  slowly 
and  quietly.  There  is  no  laughing  nor  singing  in  the 
streets.  These  must  be  men  who  think,  yet  dare  not  ex- 
press their  thoughts.  The  women  make  no  attempts  at 
olegance  or  grace.  Sometimes  under  their  hideous  black 
straw  hats  one  detects  a  pretty  fresh  face ;  but  they  seem 
to  like  to  wear  blue  spectacles.  And  they  walk  on,  sad 
and  silent,  like  the  men.  Here,  more  than  anywhere  else, 
one  seems  to  feel  the  heavy  weight  which  presses  upon 
the  Russian  people. 

Wanda  watched  them  with  a  growing  interest. 

"  They  all  belong  to  us,  Koroleff,  do  they  not?" 

"  They  are  students — otherwise  Nihilists." 

"  Where  are  we  going?  "  asked  Wanda. 

"  To  the  Jew  Isaac's  tavern." 

"Shall  we  find  Padlewsky  there?" 

"Yes;  he  has  gone  there  to  meet  two  agents  of  the 
Third  Section." 

"  Ot'  the  Third  Section?"  said  Wanda,  in  dismay. 

"  We  have  our  police  in  the  Third  Section,"  answered 
Koroleff. 


208  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  But  can  you  trust  them?  " 

"To  be  sure  we  can." 

"Do  you  pay  them  very  high?" 

"  No,  they  are  nihilists.  Through  Padlewsky's  influ- 
ence they  were  taken  into  the  employ  of  the  Third  Sec- 
tion, and  they  keep  us  apprised  of  all  our  enemies'  move- 
ments. We  have  some  of  our  men  among  Trepoff's  po- 
lice, likewise." 

At  the  corner  of  a  little  street,  Koroleff  stopped.  "This 
is  our  place,"  he  said. 

Taverns  are  very  numerous  in  Russia,  especially  in 
Vassili  Ostrow.  They  are  a  species  of  cellars,  in  which 
Greeks,  Jews,  and  industrious  mujiks  have  established 
coffee-houses,  restaurants  and  bakeries. 

"  Be  careful,"  said  Koroleff  to  Wanda;  "  take  hold  of 
the  banister." 

Wanda  went  down  a  staircase  of  eight  steps,  covered 
•with  slippery  snow  and  ice;  at  the  bottom  was  a  grated 
door.  Koroleff  lifted  the  latch,  and  they  entered  a  little 
room  in  which  a  quantity  of  fur  cloaks  were  hanging; 
they  were  greasy,  dirty,  torn  in  pieces,  slimy,  and  covered 
with  snow. 

A  young  mujik,  who  seemed  half  asleep,  took  Wanda's 
cloak.  They  crossed  a  long,  dirty  hall,  where  red  lamps 
shed  their  light  upon  splotchy  table-cloths.  These  tables 
were  served  by  Tartars*  dressed  in  black — princes,  per- 
haps, who  had  been  unfortunate. 

The  room  was  full,  and  yet  not  a  word  was  spoken. 
All  the  people  present  ate  and  drank  slowly,  without 
making  the  least  noise.  It  was  a  feast  of  phantoms. 

As  they  passed  through  this  room  Wanda  shuddered. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  all  those  frozen  men  and 
women?"  said  she  in  Koroleff 's  ear. 

"  They  are  philosophers,  scientists,  energetic  charac- 
ters, almost  all  of  them  Nihilists,"  answered  Koroleff. 

*  These  Tartars  make  excellent  servants.  Among  them  are  frequently 
found  princes  who  came  to  Petersburg  after  the  conquest,  to  try  and  recover 
their  property;  alone  and  without  friends,  they  have  been  reduced  to  work 
In  the  humblest  capacities ;  they  wait  in  the  most  perfect  manner  and  with 
a  certain  show  of  dignity. 


THE  PETITION.  209 


"  They  do  not  speak,  because  they  wish  to  act.     And  it  is 
so  dangerous  to  talk." 

Koroleff  opened  a  second  d6or.     He  ushered  Wanda 
into   a    small  study.     There    sat    Padlewsky  with   two 
strangers,  all  three  disguised  in  true  Nihilist  fashion. 
•>    On  a   table,  lighted  by  a  smoky  candle,  stood  some 
glasses,  the  eternal  samovas,  and  a  bottle  of  krass.* 

"  Have  you  heard  the  news  ?"  said  Wanda,  as  soon  as 
she  came  in.  "Count  Litzanoff  is  arrested." 

"  We  were  just  talking  about  it,"  answered  Padlewsky. 

"His  wife  is  nearly  crazy;  that  is  why  I  have  come 
here  to  see  you,  and  to  tell  you  what  we  have  done." 

"I  have  news  of  the  prisoner,"  said  Padlewsky,  "brought 
by  our  friends  here.  This  is  the  Princess  Wanda  Kry- 
loff,"  he  said,  turning  to  the  two  individuals}  "  you  can 
be  perfectly  easy." 

"  Well,  what  have  you  found  out?  "  asked  Wanda. 

"  Litzanoff 's  arrest  is  a  serious  affair,"  answered  Pad- 
lewsky. 

"  He  is  confined  in  the  fortress,"  said  Wanda. 

"Yes,  he  has  just  undergone  an  examination;  he  was 
superb,  magnificent  ;  but  his  answers  have  very  much 
aggravated  his  situation,  and  he  will  probably  be  sent  to 
Siberia." 

" But  he  is  ill,"  interrupted  Wanda;  "he  may  die  in 
prison.  Upon  my  advice  his  wife  has  written  a  petition 
to  the  Emperor,  asking  that  her  husband  may  be  sent  to 
the  hospital." 

They  all  approved  of  this.  "  If  we  can  obtain  that,  we 
can  easily  liberate  him.  What  do  you  think,  Koroleff?  " 

Koroleff  simply  bowed  his  head. 

"  Is  there  any  other  important   news  ?  "  asked  Wanda. 

"Yes;  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  has  been  blaming 
Trepoff  for  his  violence  in  regard  to  Bogoluboff.  And 
*!i  >re  is  a  quarrel  between  the  Third  Section  and  the 
Mi  lister  of  the  Interior." 

"  If  we  have  any  one  in  our  interests  in   the  fortress," 

*  The  fermented  drink  of  the  Russians. 

14 


210  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

continued  Wanda,  "  why  cannot  we  obtain  news  about 
Litzanoff,  especially  about  his  health?" 

"  I  shall  hear  to-morrow.  I  hope,  indeed,  to  be  able  to 
hold  communication  with  him." 

Wanda's  face  shone  with  delight. 

"  Oh,  try  to  encourage  him!  Tell  him  that  we  think  of 
him,  that  we  will  never  forsake  him.  I  am  so  afraid  that 
in  a  moment  of  weakness  he  may  allow  something  to 
escape  him." 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  Padlewsky,  "never!  Litzanoff  is  im- 
prudent, but  he  is  the  noblest  man  I  know — certainly  the 
bravest.'' 

"When  can  you  give  us  some  news  about  him?" 

"  To-morrow." 

"Where  shall  I  see  you?" 

"At  your  own  house,  if  you  will  allow  me." 

"  No,' that  is  too  dangerous.  My  father  suspects  me,  and 
watches  me  closely.  But  I  am  going  to  the  factory  where 
Matcha  Mikonline  is  engaged.  I  can  see  you  there." 

"  I  have  a  little  office  near  the  factory.  I  shall  be 
there  about  two  o'clock." 

"  What  street  is  it  in? — what  number?  " 

"  There  are  no  numbers.  You  will  find  me  in  the 
house  back  of  the  church.  Ask  for  Ivan  Martyne." 

Koroleff  took  Wapda  back  to  the  second-hand  clothes 
dealer,  where  she  had  left  her  cloak  and  hat ;  then  hail- 
ing a  cab,  put  her  in  it. 

"  Drive  to  the  Palace  Kryloff,"  he  said  to  the  coachman. 

In  a  short  time  Wanda  drew  up  at  her  own  door.  Her 
father  saw  her  alight  from  this  miserable  little  vehicle, 
and  could  hardly  believe  his  eyes.  His  daughter  in  such 
an  equipage?  Had  she  forgotten  all  dignity,  all  respect 
for  herself?  He  feared  to  give  way  to  his  temper,  for  he 
saw  that  by  so  doing  he  merely  widened  the  breach  be- 
tween them. 

For  two  days  since  she  had  upbraided  him  with  the 
name  of  Michael  Federoff,  he  had  been  perfectly  wretch- 
ed. Who  had  told  her?  Her  mother,  perhaps,  or  Mi- 
chael himself.  Were  they  in  Petersburg?  Did  she  go  to 


THE  PETITION.  211 


see  them  when  she  went  out  in  this  mysterious  manner? 
This  thought  nearly  drove  him  frantic.  He  determined 
to  follow  his  daughter  and  demand  an  explanation. 

Wanda  heard  her  father's  footsteps  behind  her;  but 
she  never  turned  round,  nor  did  she  say  a  word;  she  felt 
what  he  was  coming  for,  and  the  blood  commenced  to 
surge  in  her  veins. 

She  went  into  her  boudoir.  Her  knees  were  tremb- 
ling, but  she  drew  herself  up,  and  in  a  determined  atti- 
tude awaited  the  coming  of  the  Prince. 

He  came  in  a  few  moments  and  closed  the  door  noisily 
behind  him. 

"  What  do  you  want  with  me?  "  said  Wanda. 

"  There  are  constantly  the  most  mysterious  things  go- 
ing on  in  this  house,  and  I  want  to  know  what  it  all 
means.  Do  you  understand  me?  Where  have  you 
been?" 

"  I  took  Nadege  home ;  and  as  she  wished  to  use  her 
carriage,  I  came  back  in  a  hack." 

"  You  lie." 

"Yes— I  do." 

"Why  do  you  lie?" 

"  Because  you  question  me.  I  told  you  that  if  you 
asked  me  questions  I  should  lie  to  you.  You  are  asking 
me  questions,  and  I  am  lying." 

The  Prince  lifted  his  hand. 

"Take  care!"  said  Wanda.  "You  did  not  get  the 
better  of  my  mother;  you  will  not  get  the  better  of  her 
daughter.  I  have  Polish  blood  in  my  veins.  I  am  more 
of  a  Pole  than  of  a  Russian — Poles  are  not  cowardly, 
like  the  Russians;  they  will  not  obey." 

"  I  will  lock  you  up,  as  I  did  your  mother." 

"  We  shall  see  about   that." 

"Would  you  dare  to  resist  me?" 

"Yes,  I  should." 

"  Then  it  is  a  case  of  open  rebellion?  " 

"  It  is." 

"  I  see  you  are  a    nihilist." 

"  I  shall  become  one;  you  wish  me  to  become  one." 


212  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  wish  you  to  be  a  nihilist?  What  I  wish  is  that 
we  shall  leave  Petersburg  at  once." 

"  I  will  not  go.r' 

"  I  will  make  you." 

"  I  am  of  age." 

"Of  age?  What  is  the  law  to  me?  Is  there  any  law 
in  Russia  for  princes  of  my  rank  and  fortune?" 

"  It  is  true,  there  is  no  law  for  you  ;  but  there  is  law 
for  me,  and  I  will  not  go." 

The  Prince  began  to  laugh  in  a  terrible  way,  breaking 
the  furniture  around  him  at  the  same  time.  Suddenly 
drawing  out  a  little  dagger,  he  exclaimed:  "  Do  not  ex- 
asperate me  too  far  !  I  might  kill  you." 

Wanda  saw  that  she  was  in  danger.  She  thought  of 
Litzanoff,  dying  perhaps  in  his  dark  cell,  needing  her 
aid;  and  she  resolved  to  soothe  her  father's  anger. 

"  I  was  wrong,"  she  cried,  "  to  say  what  I  did  ;  but 
just  as  you  cannot  control  your  temper,  I  cannot  subdue 
my  pride.  Try  to  be  less  violent  towards  me,  for  our 
quarrels  only  drive  us  farther  and  farther  apart." 

She  uttered  these  words  in  a  gentle,  tender  voice. 
The  Prince  drew  her  towards  him,  and  wished  to  kiss  her; 
but  she  thought  of  her  mother,  and  she  could  not  control 
herself  from  shrinking  away  from  his  embrace. 

"You  do  not  love  me,"  he  said.  "  Some  one  has  turned 
your  heart  away  from  me;  it  must  be  that  woman  who 
has  already  caused  me  such  bitter  pain." 

He  buried  his  face  in  his  hands. 

"Yes,"  he  continued,  "she  has  stolen  your  heart  from 
me,  and  she  has  made  a  socialist  of  you." 

"Be  calm,  father.  I  will  kiss  you;  are  you  satisfied 
now?"  said  Wanda. 

"No,  no,  you  do  not  love  me;  you  hate  me,  just  as 
she  hated  me.  Ah,  I  am  wretched,  wretched." 

He  completely  broke  down,  and  sobbed  aloud. 

"  Be  kind  to  me,  be  just,"  said  Wanda,  wishing  to  take 
advantage  of  this  momentary  weakness;  "give  me  my 
liberty,  and  you  will  see  that  I  will  love  you  as  I  used  to 
do." 


THE  SHAM  MARRIAGE.  213 

"I  will  leave  you,"  said  the  Prince,  rushing  out  of  the 
room. 

When  he  had  gone,  Wanda  looked  at  the  clock.  It 
was  half  past  four.  Chabert  must  soon  come. 

She  lay  down  upon  a  sofa,  for  she  was  exhausted. 
These  violent  scenes  were  killing  her.  Her  relations  with 
her  father  -were  growing  more  and  more  unbearable.  She 
must  have  a  legal  protector,  a  husband  who  could  take 
her  away  from  her  father's  house. 

She  was  waiting  for  Raymond  with  real  genuine  emo- 
tion. On  the  coming  interview  depended  her  entire  life. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE    SHAM    MAKBIAGE. 

WHEN  at  five  o'clock  Raymond  entered  Wanda's 
drawing  -room,  he  found  her  lying  on  a  sofa,  very  pale, 
and  apparently. very  much  agitated.  She  told  him  all  that 
had  happened  that  morning. 

"I  could  not  sleep  last  night,"  said  he;  "your  words 
excited  my  curiosity  so  that  my  imagination  wandered 
into  the  wildest  realms  of  fancy." 

"  Did  you  not  guess  what  I  meant?  " 

"No." 

"  It  is  very  hard  for  me  to  tell  you,"  she  said,  sighing 
heavily. 

"Anything  that  you  say  to  me  will  be  well  received; 
you  know  that." 

"  You  don't  know  what  I  am  going  to  say." 

"I  say  again,  anything  that  you  desire  of  me  shall  be 
granted." 

"  I  wish  to  speak  to  you  on  the  subject  of  marriage." 

"  So  you  said  yesterday;  but  I  cannot  understand  what 
I  have  to  do  in  the  matter.  Do  you  desire  me  to  make  a 
proposal  to  some  one?" 


214  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"You  have  not  guessed  right.  A  certain  gentleman 
has  to  be  asked  if  he  will  accept  a  young  girl's  hand." 

"Is  the  young  girl  a  friend  of  yours?  " 

"  The  young  girl  is  myself." 

"Do  you  intend  to  marry?" 

"Yes." 

"And  you  wish  me  to  undertake  this  negotiation?" 
asked  Raymond,  much  stupefied. 

"  Not  exactly." 

"Please  tell  me  what  you  do  mean." 

"In  the  first  place,  dear  Raymond,"  said  Wanda, 
"  what  do  you  think  of  marriage? — of  the  position  and 
of  the  rights  of  a  husband?" 

"  In  my  eyes,  marriage  is  a  form  which  enables  two 
beings  to  live  together  openly." 

"  In  your  eyes,  then,  it  is  merely  a  form?  " 

"  A  form  and  a  contract." 

"  And  you  don't  think  that  the  woman  owes  obedience 
to  her  husband?" 

"  I  think,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  man,  being  the 
stronger  of  the  two,  should  submit  his  own  will  to  the 
woman.  That  is  the  natural  consequence  of  a  genuine 
love." 

"All  this  gallantry  fills  me  with  despair,"  said  Wanda, 
laughing.  "  The  new  doctrine  does  not  admit  of  any  in- 
equality between  a  man  and  a  woman." 

"  As  for  me,"  continued  Raymond,  "  I  look  upon  the 
man  as  inferior  to  the  woman,  and  in  marriage  his  place 
is  to  obey." 

"  Incorrigible  flatterer!  that  is  not  so.  A  man  should 
not  obey  his  wife,  but  he  should  respect  her  dignity.  I 
should  never  allow  my  husband  to  tyrannize  over  me, 
even  in  a  matter  of  affection.  This  tyranny  is  excusable 
between  two  lovers,  who  are  not  bound  by  any  legal  tie; 
but  as  soon  as  a  man  claims  this  tyranny  as  a  right  given 
him  by  law,  he  is  odious — infamous!  Perhaps  these  new 
ideas  may  shock  you?" 

"  Nothing  that  comes  from  you,  Wanda,  can  shock 
me." 


THE  SHAM  MARRIAGE.  215 

"  You  once  told  me  that  you  were  willing  to  devote 
your  life  to  me." 

"I  did." 

"  I  know  well  the  exaggerations  of  lovers,  for  al- 
ready ten  men  have  offered  to  devote  their  lives  to  me." 

"I  am  not  astonished  at  that." 

"  Yet  there  is  but  one  man  whose  offer  I  trust,  and 
that  man  is  yourself,  Raymond." 

"Oh,  thanks!" 

"  Still,  you  are  far  from  imagining  what  I  am  going  to 
ask  of  you." 

"  I  have  told  you  already  there  is  no  sacrifice  that  I 
would  not  make  for  you." 

"You  know  that  I  hav«  devoted  my  life  to  the  cause." 

"I  know  it,  and  I  share  with  you  your  convictions  and 
your  hopes." 

"  Are  your  convictions  real,  or  do  they  spring  from  a 
simple  desire  to  please  me?" 

"  Both.  To  please  you  I  studied,  then  I  reflected,  and 
then  I  became  convinced." 

"Perfectly  convinced?'* 

"  Perfectly." 

"You  know  that  in  our  society  some  of  us  are  forbid- 
den to  marry.  In  the  position  that  I  hold,  I  am  not  al- 
lowed to  marry  ;  do  you  see  why  ?" 

"Yes,  I  understand  that  marriage  does  not  fit  the  life 
of  an  apostle." 

"  And  besides,  love  is  talkative." 

"  Truly,  love  opens  the  heart.  I  could  never  have  a 
secret  from . . . . " 

"Hush  !"  interrupted  Wanda,  quickly. 

"  Why?  " 

"  The  word  love  must  never  be  pronounced  between 
you  and  me.  This  is  the  state  of  the  case,"  she  con- 
tinued. "  In  my  father's  house  my  every  action  is 
fettered,  and  I  cannot  fulfill  the  mission  that  I  will  fulfill 
at  the  risk  of  my  life.  My  father  suspects  me,  he  watches 
me;  he  will  soon  find  out  something.  There  is  danger 
not  only  for  me  but  for  my  friends;  danger  to  which  I 


216  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

will  not  expose  them.  Then,  you  know  that  my  father 
and  mother  are  separated." 

"Your  mother?  I  thought  she  was  dead." 

"  No,  she  is  still  alive.  The  letter  that  you  brought  me 
the  other  day  was  from  her.  It  was  the  history  of  her 
life.  You  have  seen  her.  She  lives  with  Doctor  Federoff, 
to  whom  you  owe  your  life." 

"  That  handsome  woman  your  mother?  One  can  see 
that  she  has  suffered.  Does  the  Prince  know  that  she 
still  lives?" 

"  He  begins  to  suspect  it,  and  my  situation  is  growing 
daily  more  embarrassing.  His  temper  is  fearful,  terrible; 
he  kept  my  mother  locked  up  for  years,  and  he  has  just 
threatened  to  do  the  same  to  me." 

"And  you  wish  to  marry  so  as  to  escape  from  under  the 
control  of  your  father?  " 

"I  wish  to  marry  without  marrying." 

"I  think  I  understand  you." 

"  I  wish  to  contract  a  sham  marriage,  as  Princess 
Tizianoff  and  Katerine  Cambredelidze  did.*  By  marrying 
I  shall  obtain  my  independence,  and  likewise  my  mother's 
fortune,  which  at  present  is  in  my  father's  hands." 

"And  whom  have  you  chosen  as  your  husband?" 

"  You,  Raymond." 

"  Me  !  me  !  "  exclaimed  the  young  Frenchman. 

"  I  must  have  a  great  confidence  in  your  devotion  to 
me,  must  I  not?  For  I  know  that  the  fueling  you  have 
for  me  is  not  entirely  fraternal." 

"  My  feeling  for  you,  dear  Wanda,  shall  be  whatever 
you  wish  it  to  be." 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  " 

"  I  swear  to  you  it  is  so." 

"  But  I  must  tell  you  one  thing  more,  which  may  per- 
haps arouse  your  jealousy." 

At  these  words,  Raymond  grew  pale  ;  but  in  a  moment 
he  answered  : 

"  Having  no  pretension  to  your  love,  how  could  I  be 
jealous  ?" 

*These  marriages  are  at  present  quite  common  among  the  socialists. 


THE  SHAM  MARRIAGE.  217 

"  "Will  vou  never  be  jealous  ?  " 

"  Never." 

"  Even  if  I  love  another  man,  while  I  bear  your  name?" 

"Do  you  love  another  man?"  said  Raymond,  in  a 
choking  voice. 

"  He  is  not  free  to  marry  ;  and  you  ought  to  know  me 
well  enough  to  be  certain  that  I  will  never  do  anything 
to  compromise  my  dignity." 

As  Wanda  spoke  she  watched  Raymond  attentively. 
He  hid  his  face  in  his  hands,  and  sat  for  some  moments 
perfectly  still. 

"It  is  as  I  thought,"  said  Wanda  ;  "you  have  all  the 
French  prejudices  in  regard  to  the  honor  of  the  husband." 

Raymond  raised  his  face  ;  it  was  bathed  in  tears. 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  Wanda,  "  what  have  I  done?  Raymond, 
forgive  me  !  I  had  to  tell  you  the  whole  truth  ;  if  I  had 
supposed  your  love  for  me  was  so  strong  I  never  should 
have  thought  of  proposing  this  marriage  to  you." 

"  The  shock  has  been  terrible,"  said  R  tymond,  "  but 
it  is  over.  Forgive  me  for  my  weakness.  Hereafter  you 
will  find  in  me  a  brother,  a  slave  ;  the  most  devoted 
brother,  the  most  humble  slave." 

"  But  the  marriage." 

"  It  can  take  place  whenever  you  will.  I  belong  to 
you;  you  can  use  me  as  you  please.  It  is  great  happi- 
ness for  me  to  live  by  your  side,  to  know  that  you  have 
such  confidence  in  me." 

"  If  you  become  my  husband,"  continued  Wanda, 
"  you  will  be  exposed  to  a  great  deal  of  danger.  My 
father  will  have  a  paroxysm  of  rage.  He  may  apply  to 
the  police  to  get  rid  of  you.  You  see  how  they  have 
treated  Litzanoff.  In  Russia  one  is  never  secure.  I 
give  you  eight  days  to  think  about  all  this." 

"  I  wish  no  eight  days  to  think  about  it.  I  have  made 
up  my  mind.  If  I  am  in  danger,  you  are  in  danger  too; 
and  naturally  1  shall  be  your  protector.  You  have  given 
me  a  noble  part  to  play." 

"  Perhaps  you  think  you  are  going  to  marry  a  Prin- 
cess ?  Not  so;  the  day  that  I  leave  my  father's  house  I 


218  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

shall  lay  aside  my  rank  and  my  fortune.  The  money 
that  will  come  to  me  from  my  mother  will  be  thrown  into 
the  fund  of  the  Society  of  Deliverance.  You  are  not 
only  called  upon  to  accept  a  life  of  danger,  but  a  hard 
life,  a  life  of  work." 

"  I  accept  it  all  with  gratitude.  Only  promise  me  that 
you  will  not  cut  off  your  hair,  and  that  you  will  not  wear 
blue  spectacles." 

1  "How  French  you  are!  "  said  Wanda,  smiling,  as  she 
laid  her  lovely  hand  in  his. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

APPRENTICESHIP. 

IN  spite  of  the  opinion  of  the  Revolutionary  Commit- 
tee, Wanda  had  never  given  up  her  idea  of  going  among 
the  common  people,  to  teach  them  her  doctrines. 

Katia  knew  a  young  girl  named  Matcha  Mikouline, 
who  had  finished  her  education,  and  was  now  engaged  in 
learning  a  trade  in  one  of  the  Petersburg  factories. 
Wanda  wanted  to  make  her  acquaintance. 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Wanda  had  paid  a  visit  to  the 
factory,  although  Katia  had  spoken  to  her  about  it  very 
frequently.  It  was  situated  in  a  remote  part  of  the  city, 
in  a  wide,  marshy  plain,  without  streets,  houses,  or  pave- 
ments. A  few  miserable  huts,  many  of  them  half  sunk  in 
the  ground,  were  reflected  in  the  waters  of  the  Neva. 
These  wretched  abodes  are  the  homes  of  the  workmen. 
For  a  few  kopecks  a  day  they  can  get  board  and  lodging. 
To  be  sure,  their  food  consists  of  cucumbers,  cabbage 
and  salt  fish;  but  still  it  is  something  to  eat,  and  they  do 
not,  at  any  rate,  die  of  hunger.  The  population  consists 
entirely  of  poor  people.  The  speculators  have  built  a 
large  factory  in  this  place.  There  are  so  many  inhabit- 


APPRENTICESHIP.  219 

ants  there,  and  the  living  is  so  cheap,  that  they  can  hire 
workmen  at  very  low  wages. 

Padlewsky  had  said  to  Wanda:  "At  two  o'clock,  at 
the  house  just  back  of  the  church,  ask  .for  Ivau 
Martyne." 

It  was  half-past  one  when  they  reached  the  banks  of 
the  Neva.  They  left  their  isvostchik  there,  and  pro- 
ceeded on  foot  across  the  path  made  in  the  frozen  snow 
by  the  workmen.  They  soon  reached  an  open  space  in 
front  of  the  church.  Just  back  of  it  they  perceived  a 
miserable  little  hut,  decorated  with  a  sign,  on  which  a 
painted  samovar  and  a  huge  bottle  surmounted  these 
letters  :  "YocKA."  This  was  a  tavern. 

Katia  pushed  open  the  door.  The  interior  was  as 
wretched  as  the  exterior.  A  few  rickety  tables,  some 
wooden  benches,  an  old  clock,  and  a  stove,  furnished  the 
little  room,  which  had  only  an  earthen  floor. 

An  old  woman,  with  her  head  wrapped  up  in  the  rem- 
nants of  a  shawl,  sat  by  the  stove  mending  clothes.  Sev- 
eral children,  tattered  and  dirty,  were  playing  on  the 
ground. 

"  Is  Ivan  Martyne  here?"  asked  Wanda. 

Padlewsky  was  waiting  for  them  in  an  adjoining  room; 
he  was  writing. 

"  Whose  house  is  this?  "  asked  Wanda. 

"  It  belongs  to  my  clerk.  He  only  gets  twelve  roubles 
a  month,  and  that  has  to  support  his  wife,  his  mother,  and 
her  five  children.  I  have  got  his  wife  into  the  factory, 
but  she  does  not  receive  any  pay  as  yet;  they  say  her  work 
is  not  good  enough.  The  old  mother  sells  tea  and  vodka. 
The  whole  family  are  with  us." 

"  Tell  us  about  the  prisoner,"  broke  in  Wanda. 

"He  has  undergone  a  second  examination  this  morning, 
and  although  weak  from  fever,  he  acquitted  himself  ad- 
mirably. He  has  avowed  himself  a  nihilist,  and  refuses 
to  answer  any  questions." 

"  How  did  you  hear  all  this?  " 

"  We  have  a  friend  in  the  fortress — one  of  the  under 
turnkeys.  The  jailor,  like  all  Russians,  drinks.  Our 


220  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

friend  soaks  him  well  with  vodka,  then  takes  the  keys, 
carries  the  prisoners  their  food,  and  so  can  hold  commu- 
nication with  all  the  nihilists  in  the  fortress." 

"  Could?  we  get  Litzanoff  out  by  means  of  that  man?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  that  would  be  against  our  principles  !  We 
could  not  save  Litzanoff  without  endangering  the  life  of 
Andrew  Kowalski;  and  besides,  we  should  lose  our 
means  of  communication  with  the  other  prisoners." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Wanda.     "  Is  Kowalski  a  Pole?  " 

"  Yes,  and  a  Pole  never  becomes  a  Russian  at  heart. 
At  the  first  ray  of  hope,  we  shall  see  them  every  one 
forsake  this  accursed  Government." 

"  Has  he  seen  Litzanoff  ?  " 

"  Yes,  this  very  morning." 

«  Where  is  he?  " 

« In  cell  No.  9." 

Wanda  grew  pale  as  death. 

"  And  his  health — his   wounds?" 

"  Thanks  to  Kowalski's  care,  he  is  better." 

"Has he  grown  more  quiet?  He  is  so  violent,  so  ex- 
citable! I  dread  the  results  of  his  outbreaks." 

"He   is  much    less   agitated   than  he  was.    Kowalski 

asked  him  if  he  wished  to  write  to  any  one.     At  first  he 

appeared  delighted  at  the  thought ;  but   perhaps  he  dis- 

•  trusts  Kowalski,  for  he  put  off  writing  until   to-morrow." 

"Thank  you  for  your  good  news.  We  are  waiting 
now  for  the  answer  to  our  petition  ;  meanwhile  we  are 
going  to  the  factory." 

"  What  for?  I  can  tell  you  everything  about  the  work- 
men. Our  last  pamphlets  have  had  a  wonderful  effect. 
Almost  all  of  them  have  come  over  to  us." 

"  It  is  not  only  for  that  that  I  want  to  go.  I  am  going 
to  begin  my  apprenticeship-  to-day." 

She  threw  aside  her  fur  cloak,  and  showed  herself 
dressed  in  a  faded  cotton  gown,  with  a  woolen  handker- 
chief crossed  over  her  breast. 

"Are  you  in  earnest?"  he  said. 

"I  am  indeed;  this  morning  I  cut  off  my  long  nails. 
We  simplified  women  do  not  allow  long  nails." 


APPRENTICESHIP.  221 

Padlewsky  looked  compassionately  upon  that  little, 
delicate,  white  hand,  with  its  rosy,  shell-like  palm. 

"Have  pity  upon  those  lovely  hands!"  he  said. 

"Wretched  aristocrat!"  answered  Wanda;  "If  I  were 
not  obliged  to  live  in.  society — society  which  I  despise,  I 
would  cut  off  my  hair  too." 

"Oh,  that  would  be  a  crime!"  exclaimed   Padlewsky. 

"You  are  romantic,  effeminate,  aesthetic! "  exclaimed 
Wanda. 

"  My  pretty  little  sister,  I  am  in  no  sense  a  commun- 
ist. I  acknowledge  the  monarchy  of  grace,  of  beauty, 
of  intelligence  and  of  talent — the  hierarchy  of  nature; 
for,  truth  to  tell,  nature  is  in  no  wise  republican." 

"  But  you  are  a  traitor,"  said  Wanda,  laughing,  "  and 
we  will  denounce  you." 

"  My  dear  child,  do  not  fancy  for  a  moment  that  the 
rich  and  powerful  of  this  earth  are  perfectly  happy. 
There  are  moral  tortures,  pangs  of  wounded  vanity,  dis- 
appointed ambitions,  troubles  of  the  affections,  harder  to 
bear  than  poverty  and  hard  work." 

"  Doubtless  you  are  right,"  said  Wanda  ;  "  but  at 
present  we  can  only  make  the  revolution  by  means  of 
the  people;  and  for  that  purpose,  we  must  live  among 
them  and  know  their  life." 

"Why  do  you  not  go  to  the  linen  warehouse  that  we 
have  started  for  the  common  people?  You  would  lea:n 
to  sew  there." 

"That  is  too  confining;  and  there  we  have  so  little 
opportunity  to  spread  our  doctrines." 

"  The  longer  I  look  at  you,  my  dear  Wanda,  the  more 
am  I  convinced  that  you  will  never,  with  your  appear- 
ance, be  able  to  pass  as  a  workwoman." 

"We  shall  see.  At  any  rate,  I  must  be  something  for 
myself,  for  1  cannot  live  in  my  father's  house  much 
longer." 

She  then  told  him  her  idea  about  her  marriage. 

"  Do  you  think  a  man  can  live  with  you  like  that? 
How  old  is  he?" 

"He  is  twenty-eight.  It  is  that  young  Frenchman 
that  I  spoke  to  you  about."  • 


222  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  A  Frenchman  above  all  others  ! " 

"  He  is  converted — he  is  one  of  us." 

"  Converted  ?  " 

«  Yes." 

"  No  doubt  he  is  converted  to  the  fact  that  you  have 
very  fine  eyes.  A  Frenchman  !  twenty-eight  years  old  !" 

"  You  evidently  do  not  like  the  French  ?" 
.    "  Perhaps  I  am  jealous  that  you  did  not  think  of  me." 

"  I  did  think  of  you,  Padlewsky  ;  but  you  are  neces- 
sary to  the  party  ;  you  hold  too  high  a  position  ;  you 
have  too  much  to  do.  I  want  some  one  who  will  be  per- 
fectly devoted  to  me  ;  and  this  Raymond  Chabert  will 
be.  Good-bye  ;  we  must  go." 

"I  must  speak  to  you  alone  for  one  minute,"  said 
Padlewsky.  Katia  withdrew  into  the  adjoining  room. 

"The  delegates  from  Kieff,  Odessa,  and  Moscow  will 
be  here  to-morrow,  and  we  are  going  to  have  a  meeting 
in  the  night  to  pass  sentence  upon  several  offenders — 
among  othe'rs,  Treppff.  There  will  he  much  discussion. 
I  am  opposed  to  violent  measures.  What  do  you  say?" 

"  I  am  also,"  answered  Wanda,  u  particularly  opposed 
to  the  death  sentence.  I  do  not  think  any  man  has  the 
right  to  take  another's  life." 

"  I  depend  upon  you  to  support  me.  Violence  is  in 
the  air;  and  I  am  afraid  they  will  do  something  foolish." 

"  I  wish,"  said  Wanda,  "  you  would  speak  to  them 
about  my  marriage.  Narkileff,  I  think,  will  make  out 
the  marriage  contract  for  me;  and  you  and  Siline  can  be. 
the  witnesses." 

"  Think  it  over  well,"  said  Padlewsky.  "  I  do  not 
think  the  Committee  will  permit  it." 

"  When  they  hear  my  motives  I  think  they  will;  but 
I  must  have  a  perfectly  legal  marriage,  without  my 
father's  consent.  Narkileff,  I  suppose,  can  arrange  it 
for  me.  Speak  to  him  about  it." 

"  I  will  do  whatever  you  wish;  but  take  care  how  you 
contract  this  engagement,  which  may  seriously  fetter 
your  actions." 

''  My  dear  Padlewsky,  it  is  only  a  marriage  in  name." 


APPRENTICESHIP.  223 

They  left  the  room  together.  Padlewsky  had  a  sweet, 
sad  smile  upon  his  lips.  He  admired  Wanda  enthusi- 
astically. He  had  none  of  the  rigidity  of  a  Nihilist;  he 
was  a  socialist,  but  he  was  a  man  who  watched  his  op- 
portunity. He  loved  Poland  and  hated  Russia.  In  spite 
of  his  genial  nature,  he  was  a  thorough  revolutionist,  de- 
voted, and  if  necessary,  resolved. 

Wanda  and  Katia  went  on  to  the  factory;  the  foreman 
had  been  apprised  of  their  visit,  and  he  came  forward  to 
meet  them.  He  led  them  into  a  room  where  twenty 
young  women  were  winding  off  thread  into  skeins. 

"  He  is  one  of  us,"  whispered  Matcha  to  Katia.  "  We 
have  gained  over  almost  all  the  factories  in  Petersburg 
and  the  suburbs.  I  hope  soon  to  be  able  to  go  to  Oren- 
bourg,  where  there  are  no  apostles.  Beyond  the  immedi- 
ate neighborhood  of  Moscow,  Kieff,  and  Odessa,  there  is 
still  so  much  to  do." 

"  The  Russian  Empire  is  so  vast,"  said  Wanda,  "that  I 
think  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  to  convert  the  rural 
populations.  It  would  take  too  long  a  time.  We  had 
better  confine  ourselves  to  more  central  points.  The 
peasantry  are  very  timid,  and  unwilling  to  act  in  any  de- 
cisive manner;  but  the  movement  once  begun,  I  think 
we  may  count  upon  them  to  rise  in  a  body,  and  rid  them- 
selves of  their  lords  and  oppressors  who  have  trodden 
upon  them  fur  so  many  years." 

"  Before  we  bring  about  an  insurrection  I  think  we  had 
better  be  sure  of  success,"  answered  Matcha.  "  Look 
at  the  rising  of  1825!  What  good  did  it  do?  It  simply 
ended  in  the  murder  or  exile  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
of  our  men.  I  belong  at  present,"  she  continued,  "to  a 
new  society  called  'The  Initiators.'  We  do  nothing  but 
preach  the  truth.  We  believe  that  the  masses  must  be 
slowly  saturated  with  our  doctrines  before  any  general 
movement  can  be  made." 

Just  then  the  overseer  came  up  to  them. 

"  Say  nothing  before  him,"  whispered  Matcha,  "  he  is 
one  of  us,  but  he  knows  none  of  our  secrets." 

Wanda  and  Katia  began  their  work;  it  is  easy  enough 


22  J:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS.* 


to  do,  but  it  requires  skill  which  use  alone  can  give.  At 
the  end  of  an  hour  Wanda  was  perfectly  exhausted.  Ka- 
tia  kept  bravely  on,  but  the  Princess'  muscles  were  not  so 
strong,  and  the  tears  of  mortification  stood  in  her  eyes  at 
the  discovery  of  her  own  physical  weakness.  She  bit  her 
lips  and  said  to  herself,  "  I  will  learn — I  will  be  a  work- 
woman; why  does  my  body  rebel  against  my  will  in  this 
manner?" 

The  girls  were  watching  Wanda  with  curiosity,  and 
smiling  at  her.  They  perceived  that  she  was  a  person  of 
rank,  from  her  appearance  and  attitude,  as  well  as  from 
her  weak,  slender,  white  hands. 

The  overseer  laughingly  handed  each  of  them  a  ten- 
kopeck  piece.  "  Take  this,"  he  said ;  "  you  have  not  gained 
much  to-day,  but  we  give  you  this  to  encourage  you. 
Maybe  to-morrow  you  will  do  better." 

Wanda  put  the  bit  of  money  in  her  pocket.  "  Do  you 
know,  Katia,"  she  said,  "  I  am  very  proud  of  my  ten 
kopecks?  It  is  the  first  time  that  I  ever  earned  any  money. 
Up  to  this  time  I  have  been  nothing  but  a  parasite,  de- 
riving my  support  from  others,  and  giving  them  nothing 
in  return." 

And  this  Princess,  whose  father's  income  was  one  hun- 
"dred  thousand  roubles  a  year,  kept  taking  the  ten-kopeck 
piece  out  of  her  pocket  and  looking  at  it  with  a  sort  of 
loving  admiration. 

"I  shall  always  keep  this,"  she  said,  "as  a  souvenir 
of  one  of  the  happiest  days  of  my  life." 

As  she  drove  away  from  the  factory,  a  beggar- 
girl,  clothed  in  an  old  fur  coat  full  of  holes,  held  up  her 
little  hand,  blue  with  the  cold,  for  help.  The  Princess 
gave  her  a  "  blue-note."* 

"  Almsgiving  is  against  my  principles,"  she  said;  "  but 
perhaps  that  little  thing  has  a  mother  in  the  factory,  who 
works  all  day  long,  and  can  barely  make  enough  to  buy 
food  for  her  children." 

*  Five  roubles.    The  rouble  la  about  one  of  our  dollars. 


THE  DEATH-SENTENCE.  225 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

THE   DEATH-SENTENCE. 

THE  next  day,  at  midnight,  the  Revolutionary  Comit- 
tee  met.  It  consisted  of  six  members  of  the  ordinary 
committee — Komoff,  Narkileff,  Siline,  Poloutkine,  Pad- 
lewsky,  and  Wanda.  There  were,  besides,  two  delegates 
from  Kieff,  two  from  Odessa,  and  two  from  Moscow — 
twelve  persons  in  all. 

Siline  first  took  the  stand.  He  made  a  short  but  pow- 
erful speech,  very  violent,  and  as  declamatory  in  its  elo- 
quence as  the  orations  of  the  French  Convention,  whose 
style  he  carefully  copied.  The  Russian  nihilists  of  to- 
day, on  the  contrary,  affect  a  great  coldness  and  sim- 
plicity of  speech. 

After  him  Komoff  arose:  "  The  time  has  come,"  he 
said,  "  for  us  to  pronounce  sentence  upon  our  persecu- 
tors. We  are  tracked  like  wild  beasts,  arrested,  tortured, 
thrust  into  prisons,  driven  into  mines,  exiled  from  our 
native  land!  To-day,  throughout  all  Russia,  we  «re 
dying,  martyrs  to  the  cause  of  justice.  The  forms  of 
trial  that  they  grant  us  are  a  farce.  We  are  allowed  no 
defense;  our  accusations  are  tissues  of  lies  and  slanders. 
We  must  protest  in  some  energetic  •  manner  against  the 
ceaseless  cruelties  of  our  enemies;  and  we  must  show 
them  that  nothing  can  shake  our  faith.  They  must  un- 
derstand that  we  too  have  a  court  and  judge  and  jury. 
They  kill  us;  let  us  show  them  that  we  can  kill  them! " 

Padlewsky  followed  in  a  very  able  argument,  dissent- 
ing from  the  propositions  of  his  brothers.  He  repre- 
sented that  the  executions  by  the  socialist  party  had  no 
good  effect  whatever;  that  they  merely  brought  about 
more  strenuous  measures  against  themselves,  while  they 
in  no  wise  intimidated  the  Government.  Trepoff,  for  in- 
stance, was  very  popular  in  Petersburg,  and  his  death 
would  do  them  much  more  harm  than  good,  and  probably 
15 


226  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

alienate  many  of  those  who  at  present  wished  them  well. 
Finally,  he  urged  them  to  be  patient,  lest  they  should 
compromise  the  r  volution  instead  of  hastening  it. 

"  My  dear  Padlewsky,"  said  Narkileff,  "  the  position  of 
the  Russian  people  is  this:  For  years  she  has  been  in 
swaddling  bands;  the  time  has  come  for  her  to  stretch 
her  limbs,  to  throw  off  the  robes  of  her  infancy,  to 
breathe,  to  move,  to  feel  her  own  strength.  Freedom  ! 
Liberty!  is  her  cry.  She  has  thrown  prudence  to  the 
winds;  her  one  longing  is  for  action.  The  time  for  study 
and  for  meditation  is  past;  she  would  rather  risk 
and  lose  all  than  remain  longer  inert  under  her  crush- 
ing despotism.  We  can  wa4t  no  longer.  The  move- 
ment hurries  us  on,  spite  of  ourselves,  in  its  irresistible, 
passionate,  fore-doomed  course.  Around  us  the  old 
feudal  world  is  crumbling  away;  the  old  creeds,  the  old 
political  systems  totter  under  the  weight  of  their  own 
povverlessness.  In  the  day  of  their  power  did  they 
give  the  people  liberty?  did  they  give  the  people 
bread?  But  a  new  day  is  dawning;  we  live  but  in  the 
hope  of  that  day.  It  is  for  us  Russians,  the  most  op- 
pressed people  in  the  world,  to  raise  the  standard  of  re- 
volt; we  are  bitter,  we  are  sceptics,  we  are  rebels;  we 
scorn  death  as  DO  other  nation  does.  We  have  a  wild, 
barbarous  power,  known  only  to  ourselves.  And  we 
must  have  this  revolution,  if  it  costs  us  our  every  pos- 
session— if  it  costs  us  even  our  life.  And  shall  we  hes- 
itate to  put  a  few  criminals  to  death?" 

"I  hope  I  am  as  desirous  of  the  revolution  as  you  am," 
answered  Padlewsky.  "But  is  it  practicable  just  now? 
I  think  not.  Transition  is  a  law  of  nature.  Perhaps  in 
a  century  or  thereabouts  •  .  . 

"  A  century  !  wait  a  hundred  years  for  the  revolu- 
tion !  "  screamed  Siline.  "  Our  duty  is  to  hurry  it  on." 

"A  few  isolated  executions  will  not  hasten  it,"  con- 
tinued Padlewsky;  "they  will  rather  retard  it.  By  these 
means  you  will  arouse  the  nations  of  Europe  against  you; 
and  you  will  intimidate  the  Russian  people,  who  are  ac- 
customed to  despotism,  and  who  fear  their  rulers." 


THE  DEATH-SENTENCE.  227 

Then  Wanda  stood  up,  and  said  with  much  simplicity: 
"I  represent  in  your  committee  the  female  element — an 
element  which  the  revolutionists  of  the  West  have  never 
admitted  into  their  assemblies,  although  women  con- 
j  stitute  one-half  of  the  human  race.  In  the  name  of  all 
women,  I  implore  you  to  respect  human  life;  I  implore 
you  to  shed  no  blood.  Do  not  stain  the  purity  and 
nobility  of  our  cause  by  acts  of  vengeance  and  barbarity. 
We  wish  to  found  a  social  order,  based  upon  peace, 
clemency  and  happiness.  These  are,  in  my  opinion,  the 
only  means  to  revolutionize  the  world." 

She  said  no  more;  but  the  total  silence  that  ensued 
showed  her  that  her  views  had  not  been  acceptable. 

"  Now,"  said  Siline,  "  we  will  form  ourselves  into  a 
court,  and  pass  judgment  upon  the  criminals.  The  facts 
are  already  proved  ;  I  will  recount  them  to  you  : 

"  First— Trepoff,  Chief  of  Police  in  Petersburg.  I 
need  not  recall  to  you  his  many  acts  of  cruelty.  The 
last  and  most  revolting  one  is  the  flogging  of  our  brother, 
Bogoluboff. 

"  Second — Mezentzoff,  Colonel  of  the  Armed  Police. 
His  latest  crime  is  the  iniquitous  arrest  of  Stepane  Litz- 
anoff,  who,  dangerously  ill  of  a  fever,  has  been  thrown 
into  an  icy  prison  for  a  few  hasty  words  thoughtlessly 
expressed. 

"  Third — Heyking,  Captain  of  Armed  Police,  Chief  of 
Police  at  Kieff.  He  has  arrested  and  imprisoned  a  num- 
ber of  our  brothers,  and  subjected  them  to  hunger,  thirst 
and  total  solitude.  He  has  sent  off  two  of  them  without 
trial — one  to  Tobolsk,  the  other  to  Iskousk.  They  both 
died  on  the  road  in  consequence  of  ill  treatment. 

"Fourth — At  Odessa,  the  son  of  a  wealthy  merchant, 
who  was  one  of  us,  betrayed  us  to  the  police,  and  re- 
vealed our  place  of  meeting.  Twenty  socialists  were 
arrested  and  thrown  into  prison." 

"Death  to  the  traitor,  and  at  once!"  exclaimed  Ko- 
moff. 

"  Fifth — At  Moscow,  a  wretched  Captain  of  Infantry 
(struck  one  of  our  brothers  with  his  sword,  and  then 


228  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

kicked  him  severely,  for  refusing  to  denounce  the  social- 
ists of  Moscow  to  him. 

"Sixth — The  son  of  a  noble  family  betrayed  a  friend 
of  his  who  was  striving  to  enter  our  ranks.  He  has  been 
shut  up  in  prison,  and  we  have  been  able  to  do  nothing 
for  him." 

"Kill  him!  kill  him!"  exclaimed  Komoff,  Poloutkine, 
and  the  six  delegates,  all  at  once. 

"I  think,"  said  Narkileff,  "that  we  have  no  right  to 
strike  until  we  have  first  warned  the  criminals  of  their 
approaching  fate;  so  shall  we  have  the  approval  of  the 
popular  mind." 

"  Let  us  now  cast  our  votes,"  said  the  President. 

The  vote  was  taken  in  perfect  silence. 

Trepoff  and  the  two  traitors  were  condemned  to  death. 
Two  members  only  had  voted  against  the  sentence;  they 
were  Wanda  and  Padlewsky.  Mezentzoff,  Heyking,  and 
the  Captain,  were  to  receive  warnings. 

"Who  shall  execute  our  sentence?"  asked  Siline. 

"  Several  have  offered,"  said  Komoff. 

"  Name  them." 

Komoff  read  out  the  names;  one  was  the  name  of  a 
woman. 

"Who  is  this  woman?"  objected  one  of  them. 

"  I  know  her,"  replied  Siline.  "  She  is  a  heroine.  She 
is  a  friend  and  disciple  of  the  unfortunate  Netchai'eff. 
Although  very  modest,  she  is  brave.  Let  us  cast  lots, 
and  if  it  falls  upon  her  you  can  depend  'upon  her." 

"  Then, "  said  Komoff,  "  are  we  to  cast  lots  now  in  or- 
der to  choose  from  these  volunteers  those  who  will  carry 
our  sentences  into  execution?  " 

"Yes." 

Each  of  the  names  was  written  upon  a  piece  of  paper, 
which  was  carefully  rolled  up  and  then  thrown  into  an 
urn. 

"  First,"  said  the  Prince,  "  who  shall  kill  Trepoff  ?  " 

Wanda  was  called  upon  to  draw  the  lots.  She  put  her 
hand  into  the  urn  and  took  out  one  of  the  bits  of  paper. 

Komoff  opened  it  and  read,  "  Vera  Zassoulitch" 


THE  DEATH-SENTENCE.  229 

They  went  through  the  same  form  in  choosing  the  ex- 
ecutioners for  the  other  offenders.  Then  they  separated, 
deeply  impressed  by  the  results  of  their  meeting. 

Two  days  after  that,  on  the  23d  of  January,  a  young 
girl  was  walking  with  a  firm  step  towards  the  palace  in 
which  the  Chief  of  Police  daily  received  his  petitioners. 

She  stood  in  the  ante-chamber  waiting  for  Trepoff. 
VeraZassoulitch  held  a  revolver  in  her  hand,  concealed 
by  her  long  fur  cloak.  As  Trepoff  passed  in  front  of  her 
she  raised  her  arm,  fired,  and  the  General,  severely 
wounded,  fell  at  her  feet. 

And  the  telegraph  carried  the  news  to  the  four  'quar- 
ters of  the  globe.  Europe,  for  one  instant,  forgot  Peace, 
War — everything,  to  gaze  upon  this  act  of  courage, 
upon  this  unknown  heroine. 

Two  days  later,  at  a  grand  ball  given  in  Biajan  by  one 
of  the  wealthiest  families  of  the  city,  the  dead  body  of  a 
young  nobleman  was  found  stretched  out  at  the  foot  of 
the  principal  staircase.  His  assassin  could  not  be  dis- 
covered. 

Also,  at  Odessa,  the  son  of  a  rich  merchant  was  found 
stabbed  to  death  in  a  lonely  street ;  and  upon  his  breast 
was  pinned  a  paper,  with  this  inscription  :  "  Killed  for 
denunciation  of  the  socialists" 

Mezentzoff,  Heyking,  and  the  captain  from  Moscow, 
received  each  the  following  letter  : 

"  You  have  been  condemned  to  death  by  us,  the  Rev- 
olutionary Committee  of  Petersburg,  for  crimes  commit- 
ted against  our  brothers,  the  socialists  ;  but  in  consider- 
ation of  your  ignoranc'e,  we  confine  ourselves  to  warning 
you  that  if  your  conduct  towards  these  sublime  men  is 
not  materially  modified,  we  shall  be  forced  to  allow  your 
sentence  to  be  implacably  executed." 

The  captain  from  Moscow,  when  he  received  this 
strange  epistle,  sent  in  his  resignation  to  his  colonel. 
Heyking  and  Mezentzoff  tore  theirs  up  with  contempt. 

This  letter,  with  a  few  necessary  alterations,  was  pla- 
carded upon  the  walls  of  Kieff,  Moscow,  Petersburg  and 
Odessa. 


230  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

TEMPTATION". 

AFTER  the  meeting  broke  up,  Wanda  asked  for  a 
private  conference  with  the  five  principal  members  of  the 
Committee,  and  laid  before  them  her  views  concerning 
her  marriage. 

Siline  and  Komoff  were  violently  opposed  to  it ;  but 
gradually,  overcome  by  her  own  strong  will  and  by  their 
knowledge  of  her  firm  and  noble  character,  they  gave 
their  consent.  Narkileff  promised  that  he  would  get 
everything  ready  for  the  celebration  of  the  marriage. 

The  eight  days  given  to  Chabert  for  reflection  had 
passed  away.  He  went  at  two  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon to  Prince  KrylofPs  palace,  and,  very  much  agi- 
tated, was  duly  ushered  into  Wanda's  sitting-room. 
He  found  her  lying  down  on  a  white-and-gold  sofa.  She 
•wore  a  white  Watteau  wrapper  trimmed  with  ribbons 
and  lace.  It  was  beautiful,  and  enhanced  the  effect  of  her 
dark-brown  hair,  which,  unfastened  from  its  many  pins, 
hung  in  soft  curls  upon  her  shoulders.  Behind  her,  mag- 
nolia trees,  gardenias  and  other  flowering  shrubs,  made 
an  exquisite  background  to  her  luxuriant  beauty,  while 
the  air  was  heavy  with  their  tropical  perfume. 

Raymond  had  never  seen  Wanda  in  such  a  dress  or  in 
such  an  attitude.  What  did  it  mean?  It  was  a  singular 
way  to  receive  him,  of  all  men. 

She  held  out  her  hand  to  him  ;  it  was  moist  and  per- 
fumed. Did  she  wish  to  drive  him  mad?  She  gazed 
at  him  with  such  a  look  that  his  blood  rushed  to  his  head. 

Was  she  really  in  love  with  him?  and  was  this  talk 
about  a  sham  marriage  a  joke?  He  dared  not  stop  to 
think. 

"  Well,  dear  friend,"  she  said,  in  the  tenderest  voice, 
and  with  a  melting  smile,  "  have  you  reflected  upon  my 
proposition?" 


TEMPTATION.  231 


"  It  was  not  necessary  for  me  to  reflect  on  the  matter. 
I  told  you  once,  and  I  tell  you  again,  my  life  is  at  your 
disposal." 

"I  do  believe  you,  and  I  asked  one  of  my  friends  to 
find  a  pope*  who  will  consent  to  marry  us  secretly.  I 
am  only  waiting  now  for  my  mother's  consent." 

"After  our  marriage,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  ask,  what 
are  we  to  do?" 

"  Nothing  will  be  changed,  for  the  present,  in  our  mode 
of  life.  I  shall  remain  with  my  father  as  long  as  I  can  ; 
and  if  I  find  that  I  cannot  stand  it,  we  must  run  away 
together." 

"  Together?  "  asked  Chabert. 

"Why  not?  In  the  eyes  of  the  world,  will  you  not 
be  my  husband?  " 

"  Yes,  that  is  true." 

"  And  we  shall  live  together  like  brother  and  sister,  or 
like  two  friends." 

«  Yes." 

"  It  is  said  that  a  simple  friendship  is  impossible  be- 
tween a  man  and  a  woman  when  they  are  young,  partic- 
ularly when  they  are  thrown  familiarly  together,  and  a 
magnetic  attraction  sets  up  between  them.  They  say 
that  this  magnetic  power  overcomes  the  strongest  will. 
What  do  you  think?  " 

She  raised  herself  upon  one  elbow,  and  resting  her 
chin  in  her  hand,  seemed  to  look  into  Raymond's 
heart. 

He  did  not  lower  his  eyes,  but  gazing  at  her  in  return, 
replied. 

"If  you  are  sure  of  your  will,  I  am  sure  of  mine.  Never, 
Wanda,  never  shall  you  hear  even  a  "word  from  me  that 
could  annoy  or  displease  you.  " 

"  Do  you  know,  if  I  were  a  flirt,  I  would  hate  you  for 
your  indifference.  And,  in  fact,  there  are  so  many  nooks 
and  corners  in  a  woman's  heart,  that  I  cannot  say  what 
your  coldness  might  not  pique  me  to  do.  Then  what 
would  become  of  my  resolution?" 

*  The  Russian  priests  are  called  popes. 


232  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Raymond  looked  down;  he  blushed  painfully. 

"  Stop  this  game,  Wanda,"  he  said,  in  a  low  agitated 
voice.  "  It  is  unworthy  of  you,  and  it  is  unworthy  of 
me." 

She  was  indeed  playing  a  game  to  try  Raymond,  be- 
fore she  entered  upon  her  new  and  singular  relation  with 
him. 

"  I  want  to  feal  certain,"  she  said,  "  that  you  are  per- 
fectly sure  of  yourself;  for  if  you  are  not,  I  have  thought 
of  another  make-believe  husband — in  fac.t,  I  have  thought 
of  two." 

"  Do  you  not  trust  me?  "  he  said. 

"  I  do  trust  you.  One  of  the  other  men  is  too  much 
in  love;  besides,  he  is  a  nobleman.  I  wish  to  marry  some 
one  beneath  me  in  rank.  The  other  man  believes  in  free- 
love." 

"  That  is  to  say,"  said  Raymond,  "  that  he  gives  full 
play  to  his  fancies." 

"  Oh,  no;  it  is  not  so  bad  as  that.  But  he  will  be  here 
in  a  little  while." 

"  Did  you  get  yourself  up  in  this  manner  to  receive 
him?" 

"  Why  do  you  ask?     Are  you  jealous?  " 

"I  have  no  right  to  be  jealous." 

"  My  dear  Raymond,  I  told  you  that  I  love  some  one, 
and  I  want  to  talk  to  you  about  him." 

"Are  you  going  to  introduce  me  to  him?"  he  asked. 

"I  should  like  you  to  know  him.     Do  you  desire  it?" 

He  hesitated.  "  Yes,  I  do.  I  must  know  him  in"  the 
course  of  time.  In  spite  of  myself,  I  have  thought  a 
great  deal  about  him  in  the  past  week,  and  have  fancied 
an  ideal  and  perfect  creature — more  ideal,  more  perfect, 
perhaps,  than  the  reality.  When  I  shall  have  seen  him,  I 
shall  feel  more  at  ease." 

"  1  hardly  know  whether  to  tell  you  who  it  is  or  not," 
said  Wanda.  "  I  think  I  will,  though.  And  I  am  going 
to  ask  one  thing  more  of  you." 

"  To  love  him  like  a  brother?"  interrupted  Chabert. 

"  No,  but  to  help  Count  Litzanoff  to  escape." 


TEMPTATION.  233 


"  What!  is  it  Litzanoff ! " 

"  You  see  now  how  impossible  this  love  is.  He  is  the 
husband  of  my  best  friend;  there  is  an  insuperable  bar- 
rier between  us." 

"Does  he  love  you?" 

"  Unfortunately  he  does." 

"  Perhaps  he  is  not  as  scrupulous  as  you?" 

"  Perhaps  not." 

"  When  two  creatures,  young,  beautiful,  loving,  desire 
one  another,  no  obstacle — not  even  Nihilism — can  keep 
them  apart,  Wanda." 

"  You  do  not  trust  me  !  "  exclaimed  the  Princess,  very 
much  offended. 

"  I  think  you  are  a  true  heroine;  but  there  is  a  law  of 
nature,  stronger  than  human  will,  more  imperious  than 
any  theory; — it  is  love." 

Wanda  started  to  her  feet. 

"Raymond,  do  you  think  I  am  a  liar?" 

"I  think  you  are  at  this  moment  perfectly  sincere;  but 
the  day  may  come  when  your  feelings  will  change.  Will 
and  reason  are  weak  in  presence  of  that  law  of  nature 
which  blindly  seeks  its  aim." 

"You  are  a  horrid  materialist !  "  exclaimed  Wanda. 

"  No,  I  merely  see  what  passes  before  my  eyes." 

"  Have  you  changed  your  mind  about  devoting  your 
life  to  me?" 

"  No,  I  have  not;  and  if  at  any  time  I  see  that  our 
fictitious  marriage  is  an  obstacle  to  the  fulfilment  of  your 
desires,  I  will  help  you  to  obtain  a  divorce — which  is  not 
a  difficult  thing  to  do  in  Russia." 

"  That  is  all  that  I  wished  to  know,  my  friend,"  she 
said,  reaching  him  her  hand.  "I  dressed  myself  in  this 
way,  and  surrounded  myself  with  these  appliances  of 
luxury,  simply  to  try  you.  I  wanted  to  find  out  if  you 
could  resist  me,  and  I  wanted  to  know  if  you  were  really 
jealous.  Now  I  only  fear  one  thing:  I  fear  that  your 
sacrifice  will  render  you  unhappy." 

"  That  I  cannot  tell.  1  only  know  that  in  sacrifice  can 
be  found  intense  pleasure." 


234  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  believe  you,  Raymond,  I  believe  you." 

"Well,  when  are  we  to  be  married?" 

"Day  after  to-morrow,  at  night.  Padlewsky  has 
arranged  it  all.  I  think  I  hear  his  voice  in  the  ante- 
chamber; he  promised  to  bring  me  news  of  Litzarioff  this 
evening." 

Padlewsky  entered  the  room. 

"Allow  me  to  present  you  my  betrothed  husband,  M. 
Raymond  Chabert,"  said  Wanda  in  French. 

"  Merely  an  imaginary  husband,"  said  Raymond,  smil- 
ing. 

"  I  think  I  have  seen  you  several  times  at  our  Club, 
have  I  not?  "  inquired  Padlewsky. 

"Let  us  talk  about  the  prisoner  now,"  interrupted 
Wanda.  "  What  is  he  doing?  how  is  he?" 

"He  is  much  better.  Here  is  a  letter  that  he  sent  you 
through  Kowalsky.  The  note  that  you  sent  him  had  the 
most  wonderful  effect  upon  him;  after  he  had  read  it, 
it  inspired  him  with  new  life;  his  appetite  returned,  his 
fever  went  down,  and  he  ate  the  prison  rations  with 
relish." 

"  I  only  sent  him  these  few  words:  '  Be  brave,  be  pa- 
tidnt,  be  prudent;  we  think  of  you.'" 

As  she  spoke,  she  tore  open  the  envelope  and  greedily 
devoured  LitzanofPs  letter.  As  soon  as  she  had  read  it, 
she  handed  it  to  Raymond.  The  note,  written  in  lead- 
pencil,  ran  as  follows: 

"Since  I  received  those  lines  from  your  dear  hand,  my 
soul  is  drunk  with  joy,  my  dungeon  glistens  with  light. 
An  adored  image  is  ever  present  with  me.  I  love  this 
solitude,  where  I  can  sit  and  dream  of  that  heavenly  face, 
without  distraction.  You  need  not  fear  for  me;  my  faith 
is  firm;  I  am  glad  to  suffer  for  the  cause;  above  all,  glad 
if  I  can  by  my  sufferings  buy  back  the  admiration  of  the 
woman  who  is  my  idol." 

-  Raymond  read  these  lines,  and  with  a  perfectly  un- 
moved countenance,  returned,  them  to  Wanda. 

"Litzanoff  is  fascinated  like  the  rest,"  he  said;  "  I  am 
not  jealous." 


TEMPTATION.  235 


"  Oh,"  suddenly  exclaimed  "Wanda,  "  if  he  gets  well 
will  they  not  take  him  to  the  hospital  ?  and  then,  what 
shall  we  do?" 

"  Don't  worry  yourself,"  answered  Padlewsky;  "  we 
shall  manage  it  somehow.  Have  you  anything  more  to 
send  to  Litzanoff  ?  " 

"  No,  I  am  waiting  for  Verenine,  who  promised  me  to 
bring  the  answer  to  Nadege's  petition  from  the  Czaro- 
witch to-day.  Please  tell  me  what  arrangements  you 
have  made  for  our  marriage?  " 

"You  are  to  come  to  my  house;  the  marriage  contract 
will  be  there  in  readiness  for  you;  you  will  only  have  to 
sign  your  names." 

As  they  were  talking,  Nadege  rushed  into  the  room, 
and  threw  her  arms  around  Wanda's  neck. 

"  At  last !  "  she  said,  "  I  have  heard  from  him.  He  is 
ill,  but  they  have  taken  him  to  the  hospital,  and  through 
the  intercession  of  the  Czarowitch  I  have  obtained  per- 
mission to  see  him  to-morrow." 

"Who  has  done  all  this  for  you?" 

"  Verenine.  He  got  the  Czarowitch  to  take  my  peti- 
tion himself  to  the  Emperor.  For  eight  days  I  have  done 
nothing  but  cry." 

"  Does  Verenine  expect  to  get  Stepane  pardoned  ?" 
asked  Wanda. 

"  Oh,  no  !"  answered  Nadege;  "  it  is  because  they  can- 
not pardon  him  that  I  am  to  be  allowed  to  see  him." 

Wanda  got  up  from  her  chair.     Her  eyes  were  on   fire. 

"  They  are  going  to  send  him  to  Siberia,"  she  cried, 
*'  without  trial.  He  must  be  saved!  He  must  be  deliv- 
ered out  of  the  hands  of  these  butchers.  Something  must 
be  done  at  once,  or  . . . .  " 

She  had  not  finished  her  sentence  when  Verenine  en- 
tered the  room.' 

"  My  dear  cousin,"  he  said, "  I  have  done  what  you 
asked  me  to  do,  but  I  found  it  very  difficult." 

"  Thanks,  dear  Alexis;  but  half  the  work  is  not  done 
yet.  He  must  escape.  The  secret  police  must  be  taught 
to  understand  that  we  rebels  are  as  powerful  as  we  are 
Ibold." 


236  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  I  will  do  all  that  I  can  for  you,  Princess,"  said  Ray- 
mond. 

"And  I,  too,"  added  Verenine. 

"  Very  well;  perhaps  I  shall  need  you  both." 

*'  As  for  me,"  said  Padlewsky,  "I  will  go  look  up  Ko- 
moff  and  send  him  to  prowl  around  the  hospital.  As 
Countess  Litzanoff  has  permission  to  visit  her  husband, 
she  can  communicate  our  plans  to  him." 

Following  Padlewsky  out  into  the  ante-chamber,  Wan- 
da said:  "Do  let  us  act  promptly  and  quickly;  and  be- 
sides, tell  me,  is  everything  ready  for  the  marriage  ?  " 

"  Have  you  your  mother's  consent,  Wanda?  " 

"  I  expect  it  every  day." 

"As  soon  as  you  get  it  you  can  fix  your  own  time." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  CERTIFICATE  OP  DEATH. 

IT  was  very  early  the  following  morning  when  Prince 
Kryloff  entered  his  daughter's  room,  holding  in  his  hand 
a  large  envelope  banded  and  sealed  with  black. 

"  I  accused  you  unjustly  the  other  day,  my  dear  child," 
he  said.  "I  suspected  that  your  mother  was  in  Russia; 
but  this  letter  informs  me  that  ....  " 
•  "  My  mother!  Oh,  what  is  the  matter?  Let  me  read 
i  it!  "  and  she  snatched  the  envelope  out  of  her  father's 
hand. 

It  contained  two  enclosures — the  one  was  a  letter  signed 
Michael  Federoff;  the  other  was  a  certificate  of  the  reg- 
istry of  the  death  of  Alexandra,  late  Princess  Kryloff. 

Wanda  fell,  stunned  and  broken-hearted,  upon  her  di- 
van. 

"Dead!  dead!"  she  cried,  "and  I  was  not  with  her! 
And  you,  my  father,  have  caused  all  this  wretchedness! 
You  are  truly  guilty  of  her  death.'* 


THE  CERTIFICATE  OF  DEATH.  237 

The  Prince  frowned.  "  In  the  presence  of  death,"  he 
said,  "  I  forgive  you;  "  and  he  left  the  room. 

Wanda  sat  still,  repeating  over  and  over  again  the  one 
word:  "Dead!  Dead!"  At  last  she  summoned  courage 
to  read  FederofFs  letter.  It  contained  a  full  account  of  her 
mother's  terrible  death. 

As  she  sat  there,  crushed  by  grief,  Katia  burst  in  upon 
her,  and  told  her  that  Raymond  Chabert  was  waiting  to 
see  her,  with  an  important  despatch. 

"Yes,"  she  said,  "I  suppose  it  is  something  about  my 
mother." 

"  Your  mother  is  not  dead!  "  exclaimed  Chabert,  almost 
before  he  had  entered  the  room.  "  Here  is  a  letter  from 
the  doctor,  and  one  from  the  Princess  also." 

These  words  produced  such  a  reaction  in  Wanda's 
heart,  such  a  revulsion  of  feeling, 'that  she  threw  herself, 
nearly  fainting,  into  Raymond's  arms. 

The  bliss  of  holding  this  woman  to  his  heart,  of  feeling 
her  lovely  form  in  his  arms,  intoxicated  him  with  rapture; 
he  would  willingly  have  shed  his  life-blood  for  that  short 
moment  of  ecstacy. 

However,  Wanda  recovered  her  self-possession  in  a 
few  seconds,  and  then  sat  down  to  read  the  two  letters. 

The  one  from  Doctor  Federoff  was  addressed  to  Ray- 
mond Chabert.  It  informed  him  of  the  Princess'  consent 
to  her  daughter's  marriage,  and  then  went  on  to  disclose 
a  plan  which  she  and  Federoff  had  formed  to  return  to 
Russia  and  be  near  her  daughter,  and  which  would  at  the 
same  time  enable  them  to  help  on  the  revolution  by  their 
personal  influence  and  individual  presence.  As  Wanda 
could  not  have  entire  possession  of  her  mother's  fortune 
during  that  mother's  lifetime,  they  had  taken  advantage 
of  a  little  trip  in  the  mountains  of  the  Oberland,  and  of 
their  guide's  avarice,  to  bribe  him  to  swear  before  a  mag- 
istrate that  Princess  Alexandra  Kryloff  had  come  to  her 
death  by  a  fall  from  a  precipice.  The  Princess  mean- 
while, under  an  assumed  name,  had  taken  refuge  in  the 
house  of  one  of  her  friends.  Later  they  expected  to  sail  for 
Odessa  from  Marseilles. 

The  second  letter  ran  thus  : 


238  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

u  MY  BELOVED  DAUGHTER  : 

"  I  give  my  consent  to  your  marriage  with  Raymond 
Chabert.  We  saw  but  little  of  him  while  he  was  in 
Geneva,  but  that  little  impressed  us  very  favorably.  And 
as  you  think  him  worthy  of  your  confidence,  I  rejoice  in 
your  choice,  although  perhaps  your  marriage  may  event- 
ually be  more  real  than  you  at  present  expect  it  to  be. 

"I  hope  soon  to  see  you.  To  see  you,  to  hold  you  in 
my  arms  !  O,  my  child  !  how  can  I  tell  you  what  I  feel  ! 
I  fear  that  I  may  die  before  that  blessed  hour  comes. 
You,  whom  I  thought  lost  to  me  forever — you,  my  only 
child  ;  you,  the  joy,  the  hope  of  my  life  ! 

"  We  expect  to  arrive  at  Odessa  about  the  middle  of 
next  month.  Try  to  get  your  father  to  go  back  to  the 
Ukraine  as  soon  as  you  can.  There  we  shall  be  near  one 
another  and  can  see  one  another. 

"  Your  mother,  who  is  happy  at  last. 

"  ALEXANDRA." 

Wanda  kissed  this  letter  over  and  over  again.  "  Poor 
mother,"  she  said,  "  poor  martyr  !  Yes,  we  are  going  in- 
to the  Ukraine  very  soon  now.  By  the  way,  Raymond, 
my  father  told  me  yesterday  that  your  affairs  are  almost 
settled,  so  maybe  we  can  go  together,  my  dear  husband." 

"  Pretended  husband!  "  sighed  Raymond,  smiling  at 
the  same  time. 

"Is  that  a  complaint?"  said  Wanda,  watching  him 
narrowly. 

"I  am  only  laughing  at  the  idea  of  what  they  would 
think  in  Paris  of  this  marriage  of  mine." 

"You  would  be  ashamed  of  it,  wouldn't  you?" 

"  No  indeed — my  affection  for  you  is  great  enough  to 
brave  even  ridicule." 

"  Ridicule  !  Oh,  that  is  a  terrible  word,  and  a  very 
French  word,  too." 

As  they  were  laughing  and  talking,  Prince  Kryloff 
opened  the  door.  He  had  come  back  to  see  how  Wanda 
was,  and  to  his  astonishment  he  found  her  evidently  in  a 
high  state  of  enjoyment. 


THE  CERTIFICATE  OF  DEATH.  239 

What  could  be  the  cause  of  it?  Had  Chabert  anything 
to  do  with  it?  Did  she  love  him? 

He  looked  first  at  the  one  and  then  at  the  other.  He 
hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  held  out  his  hand  to 
Raymond. 

"  I  have  good  news  for  you,"  said  the  Prince.  "  I  am 
to  seethe  minister  at  two  o'clock,  and  I  hope  to-day  to 
get  the  permit  for  you." 

Raymond  thanked  the  Prince,  and  after  a  few  min- 
utes conversation  with  him  withdrew.  As  he  left  the 
room  Wanda  smiled  at  him,  and  made  a  little  motion 
with  her  hand. 

The  Prince  saw  this,  and  it  worried  him.  He  did  not 
say  anything  at  first,  but  he  walked  up  and  down  the 
boudoir,  evidently  angry  about  something. 

"  What  is  the  matter  now?  "  asked  Wanda. 

The  Prince  made  no  answer,  but  looked  at  her  in  a 
perplexed  and  suspicious  manner. 

"Have  you  any  more  suspicions  about  me?  Have  you 
discovered  something  else?  This  life  is  killing  me.  Do 
let  us  go  to  the  Ukrainel  You  will  be  better  satisfied, 
and  so  shall  I." 

What  was  the  meaning  of  this  sudden  freak?  Chabert 
was  going,  so  she  wanted  to  go  too;  of  course  she  was  in 
love  with  him. 

"  What  is  there  between  you  and  Chabert?  "  said  the 
Prince.  "  I  saw  you  make  a  sign  to  him  just  now.  Have 
you  hatched  some  plot  between  you  to  deceive  me?  " 

"  Father,  that  shows  how  little  you  know  of  Raymond. 
He  has  the  noblest,  the  most  loyal  heart  I  ever  knew." 

"Are  you  in  love  with  him?"  said  the  Prince,  fixing 
his  dark  angry  eyes  upon  his  daughter's  face. 

"  Father,  look  at  me!  You  know  I  never  lie.  I  am 
not  in  love  with  Raymond;  but  I  have  the  greatest  esteem 
and  friendship  for  him.  That  is  the  truth,  and  the  whole 
truth." 

"  I  believe  you,  my  child.  I  have  led  a  wretched  life, 
my  daughter,  and  that  may  account  for  my  suspicious 
and  hasty  temper.  Forgive  me.  I  loved  your  mother  to 


240  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

distraction.  She  preferred  a  serf  to  me.  I  made  her 
suffer,  because  she  made  me  suffer  so  horribly.  In  spite 
of  me,  your  mother's  image  always  comes  between  us, 
and  I  fancy  that  I  constantly  see  in  you  her  Polish 
blood  and  her  obstinacy,  her  self-will,  her  ungovernable 
disobedience.  Her  death  has  caused  me  the  greatest  re- 
lief, and  I  feel  that  I  can  love  you  better;  for  truly,  you 
are  now  the  only  affection  of  my  life.  I  do  not  wish  to 
suspect  you.  I  will  do  everything  you  want  me  to  do. 
If  you  prefer  to  go  to  the  Ukraine,  let  us  go.  There  is 
something  that  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about,  but  I  will 
wait  till  we  go  away;  meanwhile  only  tell  me  that  you 
are  not  angry  with  me — say  that  you  love  me." 

"  I  am  not  angry  with  you,"  said  Wanda. 

"  But  you  do  not  love  me." 

"Are  you  not  my  father?" 

"  Tell  me  that  you  love  me,"  said  he. 

"  No,  I  do  not." 

A  light  shone  in  the  Prince's  dark  eyes. 

"  I  will  go  away  now.  You  are  so  hard.  You  have 
never  forgiven  me  because  I  once  struck  you." 

Wanda  made  no  reply. 

"Must  I  go  down  on  my  knees?  What  can  I  do  to  wipe 
out  the  memory  of  that  one  act?" 

"  Do  everything  that  I  ask  you  to  do." 

"  I  will,  if  you  will  only  love  me,  Wanda." 

Wanda  did  not  wish  to  break  with  her  father  altogether, 
as  the  Revolutionary  Committee  had  imposed  upon  her 
the  duty  of  preventing  Prince  Stackelberg's  inquiry 
throughout  the  Ukraine. 


THE  ESCAPE.  241 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

THE  ESCAPE. 

^T  Nadege  saw  her  husband  again  she  could  hard- 
ly recognize  him.  Six  days  of  seclusion,  of  solitude,  of 
burning  fever,  of  moral  and  physical  torture,  had  not 
been  without  their  results. 

This  nervous,  fantastic,  external,  emotional  being,  if 
left  longer  in  prison,  would  soon  have  died  or  gone  mad. 
Five  times  had  he  been  dragged  before  the  judge,  and 
submitted  to  the  closest  cross-examination.  Yet,  in 
spite  of  his  fever,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  entrap  him, 
no  word  had  fallen  from  his  lips  which  could  in  any  wise 
implicate  either  Wanda  or  Padlewsky. 

Nothing  but  the  powerful  intervention  of  the  Em- 
peror himself  could  have  availed  to  get  him  out  of  the 
prison  into  the  hospital. 

When  Nadege  first  saw  him  she  uttered  a  loud  cry, 
and  fell  weeping  bitterly  upon  his  bed.  But  amidst  her 
sobs  and  her  kisses  she  managed  to  whisper  these  words 
in  his  ear  : 

"  Wanda  is  trying  to  manage  your  escape.  Pretend 
to  be  very  ill,  so  that  you  can  remain  here  a  few  days." 

Litzanoff  's  eyes  glistened  ;  his  pale  face  colored.  He 
pressed  Nadege's  hand. 

"  Tell  Wanda  that  I  thank  her,"  he  murmured. 

Three  days  afterwards  Litzanoff  received  through  his 
surgeon  a  letter  containing  twenty  thousand  roubles. 
The  letter,  written  in  French,  ran  as  follows  : 

"  To-morrow  you  must  go  down  into  the  court-yard  of 
the  hospital  to  take  the  air.  The  doctor  and  the  gate- 
keeper are  already  bribed.  Corrupt  the  two  sentinels, 
who  will  be  your  escort.  Outside  the  gate  you  will  find 
a  droschky,  in  which  will  be  seated  two  men  dressed  as 
officers,  with  a  black  and  yellow  ribbon  in  their  button- 
holes. Get  into  the  droschky  and  go  with  them." 
16 


242  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

A  few  moments  after  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  the  doc- 
tor went  to  the  medical  director  of  the  hospital,  to  make 
his  report.  He  said  : 

"Count  Litzanoff  cannot  recover  without  air  and  exer- 
cise. It  would  be  better  for  him  to  walk  in  the  court- 
yard every  morning  about  ten  o'clock." 

"  But,  doctor,"  answered  the  director,  "  if  the  prisoner 
escapes,  I  can  get  myself  ready  to  go  to  that  land  whence 
no  traveler  returns."* 

"He  is  too  weak  to  escape,"  said  the  doctor.  "And 
how  can  he  escape,  with  the  two  sentinels  alongside  of 
him  and  never  leaving  him  for  a  moment  ?" 

"That  is  true,"  said  the  director  ;  "  and  besides,  he  is 
too  weak  to  escape." 

The  next  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  Litzanoff,  who  could 
hardly  stand  up,  was  dressed  and  taken  down  into  the 
garden,  supported  by  two  sentinels. 

As  a  precaution,  the  director  had  warned  the  gate- 
keeper, and  placed  at  the  entrance  of  the  hospital  another 
sentinel. 

The  supplies  for  the  day  were  being  brought  in.  There 
were  a  number  of  wagons  outside,  and  a  great  deal  of 
coming  and  going  in  the  court-yard. 

Litzanoff  was  walking  slowly  up  and  down,  leaning 
on  a  cane.  His  haggard  face  and  wasted  body  imparted 
an  air  of  great  weakness  to  his  appearance.  Now  and 
then  he  watched  the  gate  with  furtive  eyes,  and  grad- 
ually he  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  vaulted  gate-way 
which  separates  the  court-yard  of  the  hospital  from  the 
outer  street. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  try  to 
bribe  the  sentinels.  The  gate-keeper  was  all  right.  He 
thought  that  with  a  little  agility  he  might  accomplish  the 
rest. 

A  cart  had  just  finished  unloading  some  bags  of  flour; 
another  one  was  coming  up  laden  with  wood.  Every 
one  in  the  yard  was  busied  in  getting  the  flour  out  of  the 
way,  to  make  room  for  the  wood. 

*  Siberia  is  so  designated  by  the  Russians. 


THE  ESCAPE.  243 


Litzanoff  se'zed  that  moment  to  throw  himself  under 
the  very  wheels  of  the  first  cart,  as  it  drove  out  of  the 
gate;  and  so  suddenly  did  he  transform  himself  from  a 
sickly  invalid  to  a  brisk  young  man,  that  his  sentinels 
looked  on  stupefied.  Meanwhile  he  had  caught  sight  of 
the  promised  droschky;  with  one  leap  he  was  inside. 
Raymond  threw  an  officer's  cloak  over  his  shoulders; 
Koroleff  seized  the  reins.* 

They  heard  the  cries  of  the  soldiers;  the  sentinel, 
placed  to  guard  the  gate,  rushed  at  them;  but  Koroleff 
gave  the  reins  to  his  fiery  black  horse,  and  the  droschky 
was  soon  lost  in  a  labyrinth  of  streets. 

They  drove  on  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  at  this  giddy 
pace,  and  neither  Stepane  nor  Raymond  nor  Koroleff  had 
said  a  word.  At  last  they  slackened  their  speed,  and 
Koroleff  exclaimed: 

"We  are  safe!  They  will  never  catch  us  now.  But 
we  must  change  our  dress." 

Under  the  seat  of  the  droschky  were  three  touloupes. 
The  three  men  put  them  on. 

"Now,"  said  Koroleff,  "  we  can  breathe  freely,  as  good 
mujiks  who  adore  the  Czar." 

"To  whom  do  I  owe  my  deliverance?"  inquired 
Litzanoff. 

"To  two  socialists,"  answered  Koroleff,  "who  are  de- 
lighted to  have  it  in  their  power  to  play  a  good  turn  to 
the  police." 

"You  owe  it,  above  all,  to  Wanda  Kryloff,"  said 
Raymond;"  "  and  it  is  on  her  account  that  I  am  here." 

These  words  were  spoken  in  French.  Litzanoff  an-  • 
swered  in  the  same  tongue: 

"  I  think  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you  once 
before?" 

"  Yes,  at  Prince  KryloflPs." 

"Are  you  a  Frenchman?" 

"Yes." 

"  Do  tell  me  your  name,  at  least,  so  that  I  may  know 

*  This  scene  is  authentic. 


244  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  the  great  service  you  have 
just  now  rendered  me." 

"  My  name  is  Raymond  Chabert;  but  you  are  not  in  the 
least  indebted  to  me;  I  am  only  an  instrument  of  Princess 
Wanda." 

Raymond  had  pronounced  that  name  for  the  second 
time,  in  such  a  respectful,  tender  tone,  that  Stepane  was 
jealous.  He  watched  Raymond  suspiciously. 

"  And  what  is  your  name?"  he  said  to  Koroleff.  "  Is  it 
by  order  of  Princess  Wanda  Kryloff  that  you  are  here 
too?" 

"  I  am  a  revolutionist.  I  obey  no  one's  orders.  I  have 
not  exposed  my  life  to  please  you.  You  owe  me  no  grat- 
itude whatever.  You  managed  admirably.  I  saw  them 
running  after  you,  I  heard  them  calling  out.  Well  done! 
well  done!  I  say.  Ah,  my  fine  fellows,  you  are  clever 
policemen,  sharp  and  sly;  but  what  do  you  say  of  this, 
eh?  In  open  day,  under  the  very  nose  of  your  three  sen- 
tinels, we  escaped  with  our  prisoner;  and  you  will  not 
find  us  in  a  hurry."  And  as  he  spoke,  he  laughed  and 
shook  in  his  seat. 

This  man  Koroleff  had  a  singular  head  and  a  very  mo- 
bile face.  His  dark  skin,  his  eyes,  now  grey,  now  black, 
his  black  curly  hair — all  betrayed  his  gypsy  origin;  but 
his  close-cropped  head  was  almost  always  adorned  with 
a  red  wig,  and  his  small  features  made  it  easy  for  him  to 
disguise  himself  as  an  old  man.  His  slender  and  agile 
body  had  the  suppleness  and  vigor  of  the  primitive  races. 

On  his  father's  side,  Koroleff  was  a  Russian;  and  when 
he  wished  he  had  all  the  stolidity  of  the  true  Russian. 
He  had  been  taken  prisoner  in  a  little  uprising  of  the 
students,  and  had  been  sent  to  Siberia;  but  he  had  man- 
aged to  escape,  and  had  ventured  to  return  to  Petersburg, 
where  he  hourly  ran  the  risk  of  being  recognized.  He 
was  clever,  quick,  very  powerful,  very  courageous — even 
rash;  and  the  socia'ists  entrusted  him  with  their  most 
difficult  missions.  He  always  had  acquitted  himself  re- 
markably well. 

"Ah,"  he  said,  "  this  is  not  the  first  time  I  have  played 


A  SECRET  MARRIAGE.  245 

off  this  trick  upon  the  gentlemen  of  the  Third  Section." 

They  stopped  before  a  house.  Koroleff  threw  the  reins 
to  Raymond,  and  opened  the  door. 

"  Come,"  he  said  to  Litzanoff.  But  the  latter,  now  that 
the  excitement  was  over,  was  so  weak  that  Koroleff  was 
almost  obliged  to  carry  him. 

"  Have  you  any  message  to  send  to  Princess  Wanda??' 
asked  Raymond.  "I  am  going  at  once  to  let  her  know 
that  you  are  safe  and  sound." 

"Tell  her — oh,  do  not  tell  her  anything,  for  I  can  find 

no  words  to  express  what  I  feel Tell  her  that  I  long 

to  see  her,  and  that  as  soon  as  I  an  well  I  shall  show  her 
my  gratitude  by  devoting  myself  entirely  to  the  cause." 

Raymond  bowed,  got  into  the  droschky  again,  and  in 
less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  found  himself  before 
Prince  Kryloff 's  door.  Wanda  was  waiting  for  him  in 
an  inexpressible  state  of  anxiety. 

"Well?  "said  she. 

"He  is  in  safety,"  answered  Raymond. 

Wanda  uttered  no  exclamation;  but  she  strove  to  con- 
ceal the  joy,  the  intense  feeling,  that  she  knew  lurked  in 
her  eye. 

"When  are  we  to  be  married?"  asked  Raymond. 

"  To-morrow  evening,"  she  said,  smiling,  and  giving 
him  her  hand. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

A   SECRET   MARRIAGE. 

IN  RUSSIA  the  priest's  sanction  alone  renders  a  mar- 
riage valid;  he  keeps  the  register  of  marriages.  The 
Russians  know  but  two  kinds  of  union — the  church  wed- 
ding, and  free-love — which  the  common  people  call  living 
in  free  grace. 


246  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

The  archimandrites*  perform  those  duties  which  in 
other  countries  of  Europe  devolve  upon  the  notary  pub- 
lic. The  young  lover  is  bound  to  make  an  offering  to 
the  monastery,  and  also  one  to  his  parish  church.  His 
fair  betrothed  is  held  responsible  for  a  canopy  heavily 
enriched  with  precious  stones,  to  be  placed  over  an  image 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

The  marriage  is  always  preceded  by  a  handsome  en- 
tertainment, where  the  two  contracting  parties  exchange 
rings.  The  ceremony  itself  is  celebrated  in  the  church. 
Among  the  wealthier  classes  the  young  married  couple 
receive  a  benediction  at  night  by  the  light  of  consecrated 
tapers,  in  their  own  drawing-room.  The  bride  wears,  as 
elsewhere,  the  time-honored  white  dress  and  wreath  of 
orange  flowers. 

In  place  of  joy,  festivity  and  delight,  gloom,  dullness 
and  sadness  presided  over  Wanda's  and  Raymond's  wed- 
ding. Instead  of  the  pretty  bridal  dress,  she  wore  a  harsh 
brown  frock;  a  hat  trimmed  with  fur  supplanted  the 
white  veil.  It  was  a  traveling-dress  rather  than  a  wed- 
ding-dress. She  had  chosen  this  costume  to  make  Ray- 
mond understand  that  theirs  would  not  be  a  quiet  life, 
full  of  domestic  joy;  but  a  long  journey,  a  struggle,  a  life 
of  work. 

Raymond  had  come  in  full  dress,  as  a  bridegroom 
should. 

"  Alas,  dear  friend,"  said  she,  smiling,  "  we  are  not  go- 
ing to  a  ball!  It  is  much  more  likely  that  we  shall  have 
to  take  a  long  journey  across  the  Urals." 

Raymond  was  pale  and  much  agitated;  Wanda,  calm, 
but  very  sad. 

In  her  youthful  dreams,  when  her  heart  had  first  beat 
at  the  thoughts  of  love,  surely  this  was  not  the  union 
the  thought  of  which  had  filled  her  soul  with  rapture! 
She,  who  by  her  beauty,  her  rank,  her  fortune,  could  hope 
for  every  happiness,  every  delight,  every  luxury — what 
faith,  what  self-sacrifice  did  it  not  require  to  induce  her 
to  contract  such  a  union,  without  love,  without  enthusi- 

*  Superiors  of  convents. 


A  SECRET  MARRIAGE. 


asm,  in  a  stranger's  house,  far  from  her  kindred  and 
her  friends! 

"  You  are  very  sad,  Wanda,"  said  Raymond  ;  "  do  you 
regret  your  decision?  " 

"  No,  I  regret  nothing.  But  have  we  the  right  to  be 
happy,  when  so  many  millions  of  our  fellow-beings  are 
sunk  in  wretchedness?" 

"  That  is  carrying  the  idea  of  joint  responsibility  rath- 
er far." 

"In  this  century  of  egotism,  it  cannot  be  pushed  too 
far.  We  must  give  to  the  world  startling  and  practical 
examples  of  our  belief." 

Narkileff  performed  the  ceremony.  Deprived  of  all 
religious  rites,  it  was  very  short. 

At  the  moment  when  Wanda  pronounced  the  sacra- 
mental "  yes,"  a  terrible  cry  startled  every  one  present. 

Standing  on  the  threshold  of  the  door,  trembling,  pale 
as  death,  stood  Count  Litzanoff. 

Padlewsky  knew  nothing  of  his  relations  with  Wanda, 
and  had  asked  him  to  be  one  of  the  witnesses.  When  he 
was  told  of  Wanda's  approaching  marriage,  he  had  been 
seized  with  a  violent  attack  of  fever;  and  Koroleff  warned 
Padlewsky  that  he  could  not  be  present  at  the  ceremony. 
But  Litzanoff,  finding  out  when  it  was  to  take  place, 
mad  with  jealousy,  raging  with  fever,  had  got  out  of  bed, 
and  in  spite  of  Koroleff,  had  gone  to  Padlewsky's  house. 

At  that  cry  Wanda  turned,  and  Litzanoff  fell  senseless 
to  the  ground.  They  rushed  towards  him  and  unfastened 
his  clothes.  His  breast  was  covered  with  blood;  he  had 
reopened  his  wound,  clutching  at  his  heart  with  his  poor 
nervous  fingers. 

He  was  carried  into  an  adjoining  room  and  laid  upon 
a  sofa.  As  soon  as  he  revived,  he  was  conscious  of  two 
faces  bending  over  him;  they  were  Wanda  and  Ray- 
mond. He  closed  his  eyes  with  a  painful  contraction  of 
the  lids. 

"  Leave  me  alone  with  him  for  a  moment,"  said  Wanda. 

" Stepane,"  she  murmured  in  a  low  voice,  "do  you 
think  me  capable  of  a  lie?" 


248  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  No,"  answered  Litzanoff. 

"Then  listen  to  me.  I  shall  never  be  the  wife  of  Ray- 
mond Chabert  except  in  name." 

"What,  then,  is  the  meaning  of  this  farce?" 

She  explained  to  him,  in  a  few  words,  her  reasons  for 
marrying. 

"Perhaps,"  she  added,  "  there  may  be  still  another  rea- 
son. I  may  feel  the  need  of  something  to  separate  me 
more  completely  from  you." 

Stepane  opened  his  eyes,  and  looked  at  her  with  a 
gaze  in  which  his  whole  heart,  his  whole  life,  were  concen- 
trated. 

She  stooped  over  him  and  kissed  him  on  the  forehead. 
But  he  threw  his  arms  around  her,  arid  with  all  his  re- 
maining strength  pressed  her  to  his  heart. 

"Wanda!  Wanda!  swear  to  me  that  you  love  me,  and 
me  only." 

"  Poor  fool!  I  love  you." 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE     SEPARATION. 

Two  days  after  her  marriage,  Wanda  left  Petersburg, 
with  her  father,  for  the  Ukraine. 

Before  she  went  away  she  gave  Padlewsky  a  letter 
for  Litzanoff,  with  strict  injunctions  that  he  was  not  to 
receive  it  until  he  should  be  thoroughly  recovered  in 
health.  She  begged  Padlewsky  in  the  meanwhile  to  tell 
him  that  she  would  only  be  away  for  a  few  weeks. 

The  letter  to  Litzanoff  ran  as  follows: 

"  MY  DEAR  FRIEND:  I  am  going  away,  although  my 
heart  bleeds  to  have  to  leave  you  while  you  are  still  so 
ill.  But  my.  duty  calls  me,  and  you  know  what  I  have 
sacrificed  to  that. 


THE  SEPARATION.  249 

"We  must  not  meet  again.  I  felt  last  night  that  I 
cannot  resist  vour  love  if  I  remain  where  you  are.  We 
cannot  serve  two  masters;  and  love  is,  of  all  masters,  the 
most  jealous,  the  most  exacting. 

"I  have  a  passionate  nature;  I  can  only  love  one 
thing  at  a  time,  and  I  have  consecrated  myself  to  the 
love  of  humanity;  I  must  serve  it  alone. 

"  I  have  told  you  once  before,  and  I  tell  you  again, 
we  must  not  see  each  other,  at  least  until  the  final  tri- 
umph of  the  Cause — a  triumph  which  I  firmly  believe  is 
not  far  distant. 

"  Besides,  it  is  necessary  for  your  safety  that  you  quit 
Russia.  Take  Nadege  with  you  and  go  to  Italy  or 
Switzerland.  In  either  of  those  countries  you  will  find 
refugees  who  will  initiate  you  more  thoroughly  into  our 
doctrines.  The  Cause  is  not  essentially  Russian;  in  every 
country  the  oppressed  need  a  deliverer. 

"Farewell,  my  friend;  we  shall  surely  see  one  another 
some  day,  when,  perhaps,  time  and  distance  may  have 
moderated  our  unfortunate  attachment. 

"  Your  devoted  friend, 

"  WANDA." 

When  Padlewsky  handed  this  letter  to  the  convales- 
cent, he  was  taken  with  a  violent  attack  of  fever  and  de- 
lirium which  lasted  for  three  days. 

As  soon  as  he  came  to  himself,  he  wrote  to  Nadege: 

"  MY  DEAR,  SWEET  NADEGE:  I  am  going  to  give  you 
a  great  deal  of  pain;  but  it  is  necessary.  You  love  me, 
and  I  am  unworthy  of  your  love;  and  our  characters  are 
so  unlike  that  we  can  never  be  happy  together.  You 
should  have  been  married  to  a  quiet,  even-tempered,  good 
man,  resembling  yourself  in  character. 

"  The  ties  of  marriage  are  more  hateful  to  me  than 
were  the  chains  of  my  prison.  I  could  obtain  a  divorce 
by  paying  for  it;  but  that  I  will  never  do  on  your  ac- 
count. 

"I  implore  you,  my  dear  child,  do  not  trouble  yourself 


250  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

any  more  about  me.  I  am  obliged  to  leave  Russia. 
Where  can  I  go?  I  do  not  know  myself.  At  any  rate, 
I  do  not  wish  you  to  sacrifice  your  youth  and  beauty  to 
me.  I  have  enough  to  reproach  myself  with;  do  not  add 
your  tears  to  the  account. 

"  What  is  to  become  of  me?  I  cannot  tell.  Nadege, 
I  am  unhappy;  and,  following  the  example  of  our  sub- 
lime friend,  I  have  determined  to  devote  myself  to  the 
revolutionary  cause.  I  wish  to  dedicate  all  my  fortune  to 
it.  I  have  written  to  our  steward  to  prepare  our  respect- 
ive accounts,  and  he  will  hand  you  over  your  own  for- 
tune. I  shall  leave  Dmtri  in  charge  of  the  revenue.  He 
will  forward  it  to  the  persons  whose  address  I  shall  give 
him.  A  very  little  will  suffice  me — I  intend  to  '  simplify  ' 
myself,  and  give  myself  entirely  to  the  cause. 

*'  If  you  will  take  my  advice,  you  will  sue  for  a  divorce 
and  marry  some  one  else.  You  could  not  possibly  find  a 
worse  match  than  myself. 

"  Believe  me,  dear  child,  that  I  thoroughly  and  grate- 
fully appreciate  your  love. 

"  Most  sincerely  yours, 

"STBPANE  LITZANOFF." 

He  had  a  private  interview  with  his  steward,  and  drew 
up  a  formal  deed,  bequeathing  the  larger  portion  of  his 
fortune  to  "  The  Deliverance"  It  was  left  to  Woldeman 
Siline,  in  trust. 

Then  he  cut  off  his  hair  and  his  moustaches,  and  dressed 
himself  in  the  costume  of  a  Lithuanian  ballad-singer. 
Koroleff  had  procured  a  hideous  yellow  garment  for  him 
to  wear,  but  he  threw  it  down  with  disgust. 

"No,"  said  he,  "  I  would  rather  be  sent  to  Siberia  than 
put  on  that  frightful  thing." 

"You  are  an  aesthetic  still,"  laughed  Koroleff. 

"I  acknowledge  it;  taste  is  innate;  we  do  not  need  to 
make  ourselves  ugly,  in  order  to  feel  kindly  towards  the 
common  people.  We  need  not  lower  ourselves  to  them; 
it  would  be  much  better  to  lift  them  up  to  us." 

"  Is  it  under  this  disguise  that  you  expect  to  convert  the 


THE  PROPAGANDA.  251 

peasants  to  socialism?  Nobody  will  think  you  are  in 
earnest." 

"  I  propose,"  answered  Litzanoff,  "  to  change  my  cos- 
tume every  two  or  three  days.  This  is  only  a  traveling 
dress." 

"Where  are  we  going?"  asked  Koroleff. 

"  Are  you  going  with  me  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  have  received  orders  not  to  leave  you." 

"  Well,  then,  let  us  travel  through  Western  Russia  as 
far  as  Kieff.  I  expect  to  remain  there  some  time." 

"  Here,"  said  Koroleff,  "  are  two  false  passports,  which 
will  enable  us  to  leave  Petersburg." 

That  very  night  they  set  out  for  Moscow. 

Doubtless,  Litzanoff  was  an  ardent  lover  of  humanity; 
but  above  all  was  he  a  jealous  lover  of  Wanda  Kryloff. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE   PROPAGANDA. 

IT  was  towards  the  middle  of  May,  1878,  when  a 
troika*  drove  rapidly  along  the  road  that  leads  from 
Alexandria  to  the  summer  residence  of  Prince  Kryloff. 

Three  men  were  seated  in  the  vehicle.  In  the  driver, 
spite  of  his  Cossack  disguise,  one  could  easily  recognize 
the  curly  head,  mobile  features,  and  gypsy  skin  of  Kor- 
oleff. Behind  him  sat  a  man  prematurely  grey,  but  still 
in  the  prime  of  life.  He  had  a  fine  head  and  a  calm  and 
unmoved  countenance  ;  but  a  close  observer  could  detect 
traces  of  suffering  in  that  wrinkled  brow,  and  a  lurking 
bitterness  about  the  corners  of  his  mouth. 

The  third  individual,  dressed  in  a  cloak  of  faded  old 
velvet  and  wearing  blue  spectacles,  was  at  the  same 
time  quiet  and  restless.  It  was  Litzanoff.  For  three 

*A  carriage  to  which  three  horses  are  harnessed  abreast 


252  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

months  he  had  been  walking  over  Lithuania,  Podo- 
lia  and  Wolhinia,  scattering  his  tracts  and  preaching 
his  doctrines  in  the  country  inns  and  in  the  factories. 
When  about  to  leave  Petersburg,  he  sent  for  one  of  his 
young  friends,  who  was  heavily  in  debt,  and  offered  to 
pay  all  his  liabilities  if  he  would  assume  Litzanoff's 
name  and  pass  himself  off  as  the  Count  in  some  prom- 
inent capital  of  Europe.  The  proposition  was  greedily 
accepted,  and  the  stratagem  proved  perfectly  successful. 
Count  Litzenoff  was  believed  to  be  outside  of  Russia, 
and  consequently  all  search  for  him  had  ceased.  In  fact, 
how  could  any  one  suppose  for  a  moment  that  an  escaped 
prisoner  would  remain  within  reach  of  the  Czar's  police? 

Our  three  travelers  were  crossing  the  steppes  washed 
by  the  waters  of  the  Dnieper.  The  steppes  are  im- 
mense prairies,  grassy  oceans,  with  great  green  waves 
and  limitless  horizon.  In  winter,  they  resemble  the 
Polar  Sea — one  wide-spreading  waste  of  ice-  and  snow. 
Now  and  then  the  green  desert  is  broken  by  villages  and 
cultivated  fields.  Narrow  paths  lead  from  hamlet  to 
hamlet.  An  occasional  stream  glitters  between  verdant 
banks.  Now  a  lordly  castle  breaks  upon  the  eye  ;  or  a 
white  church,  with  green  and  gilded  cupola,  stands  out 
distinctly  against  the  dark  blue  of  the  sky. 

Our  three  travelers,  unconsciously  affected  by  the 
dreamy  loneliness  of  the  steppe,  were  lost  each  in  his  own 
contemplation.  And  the  troika  flew  on  and  on,  leaving 
!  cliind  it  the  track  of  its  wheels. 

For  some  time  they  had  traveled  in  this  manner,  stop- 
ping at  the  post-houses  to  change  horses.  There  they 
j  would  take  a  cup  of  tea,  always  ready  in  the  large  sam- 
ovar ;  then  if  there  were  any  socialists  in  the  neighbor- 
hood they  would  stop  over  night,  and  carefully  dissem- 
inate their  socialist  pamphlets,  hidden  away  in  a  box 
under  the  seat  of  the  troika.  In  this  manner  they  had 
gone  over  nearly  all  the  provinces  of  Odessa,  Kherson, 
and  Ekaterinoslar. 

Prince  KrylofPs  property  was  situated  between  Kieff, 
the  Holy  City,  and  Gitomir,  the  capital  of  Wolhinia. 


THE  PROPAGANDA.  253 

The  travelers  were  approaching  the  village  of  Krylow, 
but  a  short  distance  from  the  Prince's  residence.  It  was 
nearly  dark  as  they  entered  the  little  town.  They  drove 
past  the  houses  painted  in  stripes;  the  churches  built  with 
heavily  gilded  cupolas;  the  inns  and  numerous  drinking- 
houses,  out  of  which  the  workmen,  half  drunk,  tottered 
into  the  road;  past  the  police-office,  past  the  Governor's 
house  and  the  Bazar;  until  the  troika,  bounding  over  the 
rough  stones  of  a  Russian  street,  drove  into  the  public 
square.  Then  the  eldest  of  the  three  men  said  to  Litzan- 
off, in  a  hollow  voice: 

'•'  Here, twenty  years  ago,  I  received  ninety-nine  strokes 
of  the  knout." 

Litzanoff  shuddered.     "You?"  he  said. 

"Yes;  by  order  of  the  Prince." 

"  Of  Wanda's  father?  " 

"  By  the  order  of  that  tyrannical  savage." 

"I  understand  why  you  are  a  socialist." 

"It  is  not  humiliation  that  made  me  a  socialist;  rather 
has  it  been  the  love  of  justice  and  of  truth." 

"  Of  course,"  replied  Litzanoff;  "  but  still  your  suffer- 
ings caused  you  to  think  and  to  rebel;  and  rebellion  and 
reflection  brought  about  the  discovery  of  the  truth." 

"  That  may  be  so,"  answered  the  person  to  whom  Litz- 
anoff was  speaking. 

This  wise,  grave  man  was  the  celebrated  physician, 
Michael  Federoff. 

The  troika  at  last  drew  up  before  the  post-house,  at 
the  extreme  end  of  the  village.  Thanks  to  the  provident 
care  of  Koroleff,  the  three  men  were  soon  served  with  a 
frugal  but  excellent  repast;  and  as  soon  as  they  had  ap- 
peased their  hunger,  they  set  out  to  find  Zobolewsky, 
whose  address  Wanda  had  given  them. 

This  Zobolewsky  was  formerly  the  foreman  of  the  factory 
where  Wanda  and  Katia  had  gone  to  begin  their  appren- 
ticeship. Wanda  had  brought  him  to  Krylow,  where  he  su- 
perintended the  Prince's  factories,  and  was  the  leader  of 
an  important  band  of  socialists. 

There  was  a  movement  brewing  at  this  time  in  the 


25i  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

province  of  Kieff;  but  Wanda  and  Raymond  did  not  care 
to  join  it,  fearing  the  inexperience  of  the  leaders.  Zob- 
olewsky  was  enthusiastic  and  excitable,  and  wished  to 
hurry  on  the  outbreak. 

He  gave  all  the  details  to  our  three  travelers.  Litz- 
anoif  and  KorolefF  were  for  immediate  action.  The  news 
that  they  brought  with  them  from  the  South  was  favora- 
ble; it  would  be  well  to  give  the  rest  an  example  of  cour- 
age and  daring. 

Michael  listened  to  all  that  they  had  to  say;  and  when 
asked  for  his  advice,  he  answered: 

"  I  must  see  for  myself.  I  am  afraid  that  in  your  desire 
to  hasten  the  movement,  you  mistake  the  disposition  of 
the  population.  After  I  have  gone  through  the  country 
around  Kieff,  I  can  tell  you  my  impressions." 

"  Padlewsky  will  be  here  to-morrow,"  said  Litzanoff. 
"  He  has  passed  through  Moscow,  Rragair,  Toula,  Orel, 
Komsk,  and  Karkow;  he  has  had  an  excellent  opportu- 
nity to  make  observations,  and  he  is  very  calm  in  his 
judgment.  After  his  arrival  we  can  have  a  meeting  at 
Kieff.  We  must  begin  our  movement  in  the  Ukraine. 
The  Southern  Russian  has  a  great  deal  of  the  Cossack  in 
him— all  his  horror  of  the  yoke,  all  his  love  of  liberty; 
he  is  much  less  apathetic  than  the  Russian  peasants  in 
general." 

As  they  were  talking,  Raymond  came  in. 

"  Wanda  could  not  get  away,"  he  said.  "  but  she  will 
try  to  be  to-morrow  night  at  the  factory,  where  we  are 
to  have  a  meeting." 

He  joined  in  their  discussion,  and  informed  them  that 
according  to  his  observation  not  more  than  the  tenth  part 
of  Russia  was  with  them  in  their  desire  for  the  revolution. 

"That may  be,"  cried  Zobolewsky;  "and  yet  we  may 
lead  on  the  other  nine  parts.  This  tenth  part  has  all  the 
intelligence  and  all  the  energy  of  the  country.  It  is  an 
incontrovertible  fact  that  the  peasants  are  greatly  dis- 
satisfied. They  are  phlegmatic  and  dull;  but  once 
aroused,  they  surely  will  join  with  us.  Their  tithes  and 
their  taxes  swallow  up  all  they  make;  and  what  is  the 


THE  INQUIRY.  255 


good  of  their  working  when  they  can  never  lay  anything 
up  for  a  rainy  day?  That  is  the  whole  secret  of  their 
laziness.  They  must  certainly,  in  the  end,  join  a  move- 
ment which  will  liberate  them  from  fruitless  toil  and 
hopeless  poverty." 

"My  friends,"  objected  Michael,  "you  forget  the 
clergy  and  the  army — the  two  great  supports  of  the 
Russian  Empire.  Remember,  the  Czar  is  the  represen- 
tative of  God  in  Russia;  and  the  army,  although  deci- 
mated in  the  late  war,  is  still  formidable." 

"I  assure  you,"  said  Litzanoff,  "there  is  much  discon- 
tent among  the  private  soldiers,  and  even  among  the 
clergy." 

"  The  recent  trial  of  Vera  Zassoulitch,"  added  Zobolew- 
sky,  "  has  undoubtedly  given  a  fresh  impulse  to  the  rev- 
olution. We  must  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  that  heroine, 
and  endeavor  to  free  our  nation  from  bondage." 

"  We  shall  meet  the  envoy  from  Petersburg  to-mor- 
row," said  Michael,  "and  we  can  then  decide  upon  a 
plan  of  action.  I  have  thought  it  well  over,  and  I  will 
then  give  you  the  result  of  my  reflections." 

They  separated,  to  meet  on  the  following  day. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE    INQUIRY. 

PRINCE  KRYLOFF'S  residence  stood  upon  a  hill,  a  short 
distance  from  the  Dneiper.  It  was  built  after  the  Italian 
manner,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  park  laid  out  in  straight 
avenues  and  rather  formal  shrubbery.  This  imposing 
structure  was  in  harmony  with  the  pompous  and  dicta- 
torial character  of  the  Prince. 

Just  behind  this  superb  building,  in  a  secluded,  charm- 
ing, fantastic  part  of  the  grounds,  stood  a  little  struct- 


256  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

ure  thoroughly  Russian  in  its  character,  reminding  one 
of  a  Swiss  chalet.  Along  two  sides  of  the  house  ran  a 
wide  piazza  supported  on  slender  pillars,  all  enwrapped 
and  entwined  with  English  ivy,  American  trumpet- 
creeper,  and  strange  climbing  plants  from  China  and 
Greece.  At  the  four  corners,  little  projections,  like 
large  bay-windows,  stood  out  from  the  walls,  adorned 
with  numberless  wood- carvings.  A  superb  double 
flight  of  steps  led  down  from  the  front  door  into  an  Eng- 
lish garden,  which  was  full  of  fountains,  water-falls, 
flower-beds,  and  rock-work.  At  a  short  distance,  the 
Dneiper  could  be  seen  rolling  its  limpid  waters  through 
the  green  sea  of  the  illimitable  steppe. 

This  was  Wanda's  summer  home.  She  called  it  her 
cottage,  and  thither  she  would  constantly  retire,  both  for 
study  and  meditation,  and  also  to  escape  from  the  num- 
berless visitors  who  ceaselessly  invaded  Prince  KrylofiPs 
hospitable  mansion.  Every  one  knew  that  she  was  ec- 
centric, and  on  that  account  the  frequent  absence  of  the 
beautiful  Princess  was  condoned. 

Wanda  had  other  reasons  for  preferring  the  cottage  to 
the  castle.  From  it  she  could  easily,  accompanied  by 
Katia,  take  a  little  run  into  the  factories. 

She  had  established  a  school  for  the  children  of  the 
workmen  quite  near  the  cottage,  and  she  superintended 
their  instruction  herself.  This  gave  great  scandal  to  the 
pope,  for  it  was  done  entirely  without  his  assistance  or 
authority. 

The  Princess  and  Katia  frequently  passed  the  night 
away  from  home,  sometimes  in  one  village,  sometimes  in 
another;  now  with  her  mother — who  was  living  for  the 
time  at  Ekaterinoslaw,  now  in  one  of  the  factories,  giv- 
ing instruction  in  the  doctrines  of  socialism. 

Once  when  the  Prince  was  away,  Princess  Alexandra 
had  ventured  to  visit  Wanda  in  her  cottage.  Between 
these  two  women,  knit  together  by  the  ties  of  both  blood 
and  friendship,  there  existed  a  perfect  love,  rendered 
only  stronger  by  the  mystery  and  danger  that  surround- 
ed every  interview. 


THE  INQUIRY.  257 


It  was  early  in  May.  Visitors  were  flocking  to  see  the 
Prince.  His  castle  was  the  centre  of  attraction  to  all  the 
nobility  in  the  neighborhood.  His  receptions  were 
superb.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  hospitality  and  the 
splendor  of  the  boyards,  and  among  the  guests  visiting  at 
Castle  Kryloff  were  Stackelberg  and  Raymond  Chabert. 

Vassili  Stackelberg  had  accepted  the  invitation  so 
hospitably  proffered  him  in  Petersburg  by  Princess 
Wanda,  and  had  made  his  headquarters  at  her  father's 
house,  while  he  conducted  his  search  and  inquiry  into  the 
condition  of  the  socialists  throughout  the  neighboring 
provinces. 

Thus  far  he  had  discovered  nothing;  for  Wanda  had 
secretly  and  adroitly  frustrated  all  his  plans  and  diverted 
all  his  suspicions.  Moreover,  he  had  fallen  in  love  with 
the  Princess,  who  alternately  encouraged  or  discouraged 
him,  according  to  circumstances.  He  loved  her  as  well 
as  his  vile  heart  could  love;  his  vanity,  his  ambition  were 
aroused,  and  gave  to  his  passion  the  semblance  of  a  gen- 
uine feeling. 

Raymond  Chabert  walked  on  air.  There  was  a  secret 
between  him  and  her.  The  bond  between  them  touched 
him  to  the  heart.  He  loved  her  so  completely  that  no 
grosser  thought  could  tarnish  the  purity  of  his  affection. 
He  worshiped  rather  than  loved  her.  Besides,  she  loved 
Litzanoff,  and  Litzanoff  loved  her.  He  was  jealous,  and 
yet  no  self-love  mingled  with  that^  jealousy.  And  after 
all,  Litzanoff  was  not  as  happy  as  he  was,  for  he  could  not 
be  with  her. 

As  for  Prince  Kryloff,  his  time  was  entirely  taken  up 
attending  to  his  factories.  He  had  sugar- factories,  paper- 
factories,  and  saw-mills  for  working  up  the  products  of 
his  immense  forests.  He  employed  a  vast  number  of 
workmen.  Raymond  Chabert  had  been  a  great  help  to 
him.  His  knowlege  of  engineering  had  been  most  useful 
to  the  Prince,  who  was  very  grateful  to  the  young  French- 
man, not  only  for  the  past,  but  also  for  future  services. 
This  new  railroad  would  double  his  income. 

In  spite  of  his  roval  generosity,  his  magnificence,  his 
17 


25S  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

exquisite  manners,  the  Prince  was  very  mean  towards 
his  workmen.  Attached  to  every  factory  was  a  bazar, 
fitted  up  with  all  the  necessaries  of  life.  Instead  of  money 
the  men  received  checks  for  the  several  amounts  due 
them;  and  for  these  checks  they  could  obtain  anything 
contained  in  the  bazar.  This  sort  of  exchange  was  a 
considerable  source  of  revenue  to  the  Prince. 

Throughout  every  factory  and  every  village  on  her 
father's  estate,  Wanda  scattered  broadcast  her  tracts;  Ray- 
mond busied  himself  in  the  neighboring  provinces,  whith- 
er his  work  on  the  railroad  led  him;  and  Litzanoff  was 
entrusted  with  the  messages  to  be  carried  backwards  and 
forwards  between  the  different  groups  of  nihilists,  as 
nothing  could  be  entrusted  to  the  post.  So,  without  his 
knowledge,  Prince  Kryloff s  country-seat  was  the  head- 
centre  of  a  formidable  propaganda. 

Vassili  Stackelberg  remained  at  the  castle,  daily 
watching  and  sighing  for  Wanda,  ogling  her  as  soon  as 
he  saw  her,  evidently  seeking  an  opportunity  to  declare 
his  love.  This,  however,  Wanda  desired  to  prevent. 
However,  one  morning,  coming  through  the  park,  sha  un- 
expectedly stumbled  upon  the  German.  It  was  a  lovely 
morning;  mother  earth  sent  forth  her  sweet,  fresh  breath, 
the  spring  air  breathed  life  into  nature,  the  sun  drew 
every  heart  up  towards  itself.  The  birds  were  singing, 
the  river  rushed  on  with  distant  soothing  murmur;  the 
day  was  unspeakably  brilliant,  beautiful,  magnificent. 
It  told  upon  Vassili  Stackelberg.  He  resolved  to  de- 
clare his  love  at  once. 

"  Is  this  you,  so  early?"  he  exclaimed.  "  Where  have 
you  been,  Wanda  Petrowna?  " 

"  I  have  been  to  see  a  poor  sick  woman." 

"  How  good  you  are!  "  said  Stackleberg. 

"  I  am  not  good;  but  you  know  I  am  a  socialist,"  said 
she,  laughing;  "  and  I  love  the  poor." 

"  You  a 'socialist !  you,  the  personification  of  elegance 
and  beauty  and  distinction!....  But  enough  of  that.  I 
want  to  see  you,  Wanda,  to  speak  to  you  about  some- 
thing which  is  of  the  deepest  importance  to  me." 


THE  INQUIRY.  250 


"  Do  you?     I  should  like  so  much  to  know  what  it  is, 
but  I  have  not  time  now;  I  am  in  a  hurry  to  get   some 
medicine  to  send  to  that  poor  woman." 
I     "  Let  me  go  with  you,"  persisted  Vassili.     "  I  shall  be 
so  glad  to  help  you." 

"No,  you  would  make  me  waste  my  time;  and  I  am 
in  haste.  I  will  take  you  with  me  another  day." 

"  Will  you  promise  to  take  me  with  you  another  day?" 

"  Yes,  very  soon." 

She  waved  her  hand  to  him  and  disappeared  among  the 
trees;  thus  for  the  twentieth  time  preventing  Vassili  from 
expressing  his  love.  He  walked  up  and  down  a  long 
time,  thinking,  wondering  what  to  make  of  Wanda. 
What  did  she  mean?  Did  she  love  him,  or  did  she  not? 
Doubtless  she  acknowledged  his  superiority,  his  promising 
career;  and  yet  why  did  she  always  avoid  a  declaration? 
Perhaps  she  did  not  feel  sure  of  his  affection  for  her; 
perhaps  

Just  then  he  found  himself  opposite  the  door  of  Wan- 
da's cottage;  and  coming  down  the  steps  he  perceived 
Raymond  Chabert,  with  a  beaming  countenance.  This 
was  a  revelation!  Wanda's  conduct  towards  this  young 
man  had  once  or  twice  excited  Vassili's  suspicions;  but 
she  was  so  eccentric,  so  queer,  that  it  was  difficult  to 
know  what  to  think  of  her. 

A  terrible  thought  suddenly  took  possession  of  him. 
The  blood  rushed  to  his  face.  Was  she  pretending  an 
interest  in  him  to  conceal  her  love  for  this  Frenchman? 
Was  slie  making  a  fool  of  him— of  him,  Prince  Vassili 
Stackelberg? 

He  went  up  to  Raymond. 

"Good  morning,  Monsieur  Chabert,"  said  he  in  French; 
'  "  are  you  in  the  habit  of  paying  such  early  visits  to  the 
Princess?  " 

"  I  have  been  to  see  her  on  business,  my  dear  Prince," 
answered  Raymond. 

"Your  business  is  an  exceedingly  convenient  one, 
giving  you,  as  it  seems,  the  entre$  to  a  very  pretty 
woman's  boudoir  !  However,  all  Frenchmen  love  intrigue. 
You  are  born  flirts  and  adventurers." 


260  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"Adventurers  !  "What  do  you  mean?  There  is  nothing 
extraordinary  in  rny  visit  to  the  Princess.  In  digging 
for  my  railroad  a  few  days  ago,  a  bank  of  earth  fell  in 
and  injured  one  of  my  workmen  seriously.  The  Princess 
promised  me  some  money  for  him,  as  he  will  not  be  able 
to  work  for  some  time,  and  has  a  wife  and  five  children. 
That  explains  the  whole  mystery  of  my  early  visit.  I 
went  to  get  the  money." 

"I  thoroughly  understand  the  Princess's  benevolence, 
and  I  also  understand  that  this  poor  devil's  misfortune 
has  been  most  fortunate  for  you ....  By  the  bye,  Monsieur 
Chabert,  I  was  informed  yesterday  by  the  Commissary  of 
Police  that  there  are  a  large  number  of  socialists  among 
your  navvies.  Is  that  so?  " 

"  I  do  not  belong  to  the  police,  myself,"  answered 
Raymond.  "  The  mujiks  are  reserved  and  suspicious, 
and  they  will  not  tell  on  one  another.  There  is  a  tacit 
understanding  between  these  oppressed  creatures." 

"Ah,  Monsieur  Chabert;  you  look  upon  our  Russian 
peasants  with  pity,  do  you?  Are  your  French  peasantry 
so  much  better  off  than  ours?" 

"  Not  much, — but  whatever  our  faults  may  be,  we  are 
as  a  nation  infinitely  more  civilized  than  you  Russians." 

"Do  you  look  upon  your  heterogeneous  republic  as  a 
proof  of  superior  civilization?  Was  Napoleon  III  a  more 
liberal  ruler  than  Alexander?  You  Frenchmen  consider 
yourselves  the  first  nation  in  the  world;  whereas,  we  see 
only  your  inconstancy,  your  conceit,  and  your  contempt- 
ible vanity,  and  look  upon  you  generally  as  a  race  of 
j  umping- j  acks." 

"  Vassili  Antonovitch,  I  allow  no  one  to  speak  to  me 
thus  of  the  nation  to  which  I  belong  !  " 

"Well,  the  expression  'jumping  jacks'  is  scarcely  par- 
liamentary, and  I  withdraw  it,"  said  Stackelberg,  with  a 
sneer  upon  his  lips. 

"I  thoroughly  appreciate  the  faults  of  our  national 
character,"  answered  Raymond;  "but  I  also  know  that 
we  have  always  taken  the  lead  in  every  scientific,  polit- 
ical, and  social  question.  There  is,  inherent  in  the  French 
character,  a  quick  comprehension,  an  enthusiasm " 


THE  INQUIRY.  261 


"  Your  quickness  and  your  enthusiasm  combined  go  to 
make  up  your  volatility." 

"  Your  prudence  and  dishonesty  combined  go  to  make 
up  the  character  of  the  German  nation,"  answered  Cha- 
bert,  in  a  most  insolent  tone. 

Stackelberg  saw  that  he  had  gone  too  far,  and  having 
no  desire  to  risk  his  precious  life  in  a  duel,  he  beat  a  re- 
treat. 

*' That  speech  does  not  touch  me,  Monsieur  Chabert, 
for  I  am  a  Russian.  We  all  know  that  there  is  among 
Frenchmen  a  genuine  chivalry." 

"  Which  of  course  goes  to  make  up  the  volatility  of 
our  character,  eh?  " 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  say  that  you  are  volatile — in  fact 
I  do  not  understand  French  thoroughly;  I  speak  it  like 
a  stupid  German.  Perhaps  instead  of  volatility  I  should 
say  instability." 

"No,  generosity  is  the  proper  word,"  cried  Raymond, 
now  very  much  excited. 

"Just  as  you  please,  Monsieur  Chabert;  generosity  let 
it  be." 

Raymond  instantly  bowed  and  walked  away. 

"  This  booby  shall  pay  dear  for  his  insolence,"  said 
Stackelberg  to  himself.  "  Besides,  I  am  jealous  of  him. 
Wanda  is  entirely  too  polite  to  him.  Who  is  he? 
Where  does  he  come  from?  He  is  not  even  a  gentle- 
man; and  he  dares  to  speak  to  me  in  this  manner.  He 
must  be  a  socialist.  He  must  have  somebody  to  back 
him,  or  he  surely  would  not  presume  to  take  this  attitude 
in  Prince  Kryloff 's  house.  I  will  find  it  all  out  this 
very  day." 


262  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

THE  DECLARATION  OF  LOVE. 

WANDA  fully  comprehended  that  the  time  had  arrived 
for  Stackelberg  to  propose.  She  saw  it  in  his  glowing 
eye,  his  trembling  voice,  his  anxious  eagerness  to  please. 
And  she  put  off  his  avowal  from  day  to  day  by  every 
means  in  her  power;  knowing  full  well  that  the  hour  she 
refused  him  would  be  a  dangerous  one  for  the  nihilists, 
and  perhaps  also  for  herself. 

She  kept  out  of  his  way  all  that  morning;  but  in  the 
evening  after  dinner,  notwithstanding  the  number  of 
guests  that  were  present,  he  managed  to  find  her  alone. 

"  I  have  been  waiting  to  speak  to  you  all  day  long," 
he  said. 

"  Yes  !     What  can  it  be  about?  " 

"  I  want  to  speak  to  you  about  something  that  con- 
cerns me  very  much." 

"  That  sounds  rather  appalling.  To  be  sure,  I  am  of 
age,  and  eccentric  in  my  habits  and  customs  ;  but  still  I 
do  not  usually  grant  private  interviews  to  young  men, 
especially  when  I  suspect  them  of — what  shall  I  say?" 

"  Have  you  guessed  my  secret  ?  "  asked  the  Prince. 

"That  is  not  a  very  difficult  thing  to  do." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  That  you  want  to  make  me  a  formal  offer  of  your 
hand." 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  do  so,  Wanda?  " 

"  First,  tell  me  what  you  think  of  me." 

"  I  am  too  much  in  love  with  you  to  form  any  critical 
analysis  of  your  character.  Very  early  this  morning  I 
met  Monsieur  Chabert  coming  out  of  your  private  cot- 
tage ;  and  notwithstanding  that  no  suspicions  of  your 
conduct  crossed  my  mind. ..." 

*'  Thanks,  Vassili  Antonovitch,  thanks." 

"  Will  you  not.  allow  the  same  privileges  that  you  allow 
to  Monsieur  Chabert?" 


THE  DECLARATION  OF  LOVE.  263 

"  But  you  do  not  want  to  see  me  about  any  money 
matters." 

"  No  ;  but  I  have  a  great  deal  to  say  to  you." 

"  Well,  say  it  now." 

"  No,  I  must  see  you  entirely  alone." 

"I  do  not  like  to  appoint  a  time  to  meet  you  alone, 
now  that  I  know  your  feelings  towards  me." 

He  looked  at  her  fixedly;  she  cast  down  her  eyes.  He 
thought  that  she  loved  him,  and  was  ashamed  to  let  him 
detect  that  love  in  her  face.  He  drew  nearer  and  fastened 
upon  her  his  greedy  gaze.  Wanda  was  trembling  all 
over. 

"  Pity  me  !  "  he  whispered. 

"  I  cannot." 

"Why?" 

"  I  am  so  afraid  of  you." 

"  Afraid  of  me  ?     You  are  not  afraid  of  Chabert?" 

"  Oh,  Monsieur  Chabert — he  is  different." 

"  How  different?  " 

"  He  lays  no  claim  to  my  heart." 

"  How  do  you  know  that?" 

*'  A  woman  can  always  tell." 

"  Can  you  see  into  every  man's  heart?" 

"I  think  I  can." 

*'  What  do  you  see  in  mine?" 

"  I  would  rather  not  tell  you." 

"  Well,  let  me  tell  you  what  is  in  it." 

"  I  do  not  want  to  hear  that,  either." 

"Why  not?" 

"  The  idea  of  marriage  terrifies  me." 

"  Dear  Wanda,  love  is  the  only  thing  that  makes  life 
worth  living." 

"  That  is  because  you  do  not  love  very  deeply." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  have  always  heard,"  explained  the  Princess, 
"that  a  strong  love  causes  a  man  a  great  deal  of  suffer- 
ing." 

"Yes;  but  a  man  does  not  wish  to  be  cured  of  that 
agony.  Don't  you  think  your  indifference  and  your  cold- 


264  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

ness  cause  me  a  greal  deal  of  pain?  Wanda,  I  love  you 
passionately." 

"Passionately?"  said  she,  looking  at  him  for  the  first 
time.  "  Would  you  lay  down  your  life  to  please  me?  " 

"Willingly!  a  hundred  times!" 

"  That  would  be  ninety-nine  times  too  often.  Would 
you,  a  sensible  man,  a  future  diplomat,  would  you  throw 
away  your  life  in  that  manner?  I  cannot  believe  it." 

"  Try  me." 

"  I  will  think  about  it." 

"  Try  me  at  once,  I  beg  of  you." 

"  Well,  then,  apologize  to  Monsieur  Chabert  for  the 
manner  in  which  you  insulted  him  this  morning." 

"  No,  Wanda,  he  is  a  nihilist.  All  T  can  do  for  him 
is,  for  your  sake,  not  to  denounce  him  to  the  Third  Sec- 
tion." 

Wanda  grew  white  as  death,  and  Stackelberg  noticed 
it;  she  was  really  frightened. 

"He  is  no  socialist,"  she  said  laughing;  "  if  you  can 
find  any  proof  against  him,  I  will  deliver  him  up  to  you 
tied  neck  and  heels.  But  if  you  cannot  find  anything 
against  him,  will  you  not  apologize  to  him?" 

"I  will,  upon  one  condition;  that  you  will  grant  me 
a  private  interview." 

"  What  for? — you  are  very  persistent." 

"  May  I  hope  for  it?  " 

"  You  can  hope — that  will  not  hurt  anybody,"  an- 
swered Wanda  with  a  bewitching  smile. 

"You  are  a  flirt!  "  said  Stackelberg.  "Sometimes  I 
feel  as  if  I  should  like  to  kill  you." 

"  Since  when  has  it  become  the  fashion  to  stab  a  wo- 
man for  love?  " 

"  I  warn  you,  Princess,  my  passions  are  fierce." 

"Yes,  some  of  your  passions." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"  Your  ambition,  for  instance." 

"  Thank  you." 

"  Are  you  not  very  ambitious?  " 

"  I  am  ambitious  to  have  you   for  my  wife.     I   would 


THE  DECLARATION  OF  LOVE.  265 

make    you  the  most  distinguished  woman   in  the  whole 
Empire." 

"That  sounds  very  much  like  an  offer  of  marriage." 
"  Do  you  think  for    a  moment,    Wanda,    that    1  would 
dare  speak  to  you  of  love  without  also  intending  to  ask 
your  hand  in  marriage  ?" 

"  Indeed,  I  never  think  of  marrying;  and  so,  naturally, 
it  does  not  occur  to  me  that  others  may  be  thinking  of 
it." 

"  You  never  think  of  marrying,  Wanda?  " 
"  No,  upon  my  word,  I  never  do.     I  used  to  think 
about  it,  but  I  do  not  now." 

"Well,  that  is  a  revelation.  Is  there  any  one  upon 
whom  you  have  fixed  your  affections?" 

"  It  seems  to  me  your  questions  are  rather  indiscreet." 

"  I  am  jealous,  Wanda,  jealous  even  of  your  past  life." 

Wanda  stood  still,  apparently  lost    in    thought  ;  then 

she  exclaimed  abruptly:     "You   are    too  curious,  Vassili 

Antono  vitch,"  and  turned  away  as   though  to  leave  him. 

But  suddenly,  as  if  repenting  of  her  coldness,  she  looked 

back,  and  sent  one  glance  towards  the  Prince,  who  stood 

as  though  bewitched  by  it. 

Stackelberg  never  closed  his  eyes  that  whole  night 
through.  He  thought  over  every  word  that  Wanda  had 
spoken;  he  recalled  her  every  look,  her  every  gesture. 
"  She  is  so  strange,"  said  he  to  himself,  "  so  fearless,  and 
still  so  reserved,  so  womanly!  She  is  perfect!  How 
she  could  love  a  man!"  Then  Raymond  Chabert  sud- 
denly came  into  his  mind.  He  thought  of  his  insolence, 
and  of  his  own  pusillanimity.  Perhaps  Wanda  despised 
him  as  much  as  she  admired  Chabert.  How  he  hated 
that  Frenchman! 


266  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE    PROPOSAL. 

THE  enamored  Vassili  arose  the  next  morning  fever- 
ish and  unrefreshed.  He  determined  to  go  at  once  to 
Prince  Kryloff  and  ask  him  for  his  daughter's  hand  in 
marriage.  The  Prince  had  been  very  polite  to  him,  arid 
would  not,  he  thought,  oppose  the  match,  which,  in  a 
pecuniary  point  of  view,  would  be  very  desirable,  as 
both  Vassili  and  Wanda  were  heirs  to  enormous  wealth. 

As  he  was  dressing,  he  drew  near  the  window,  and 
carelessly  looking  out  upon  the  beautiful  view,  he  per- 
ceived Wanda  and  Chabert  walking  together  down  the 
broad  avenue.  Wanda  was  leaning  on  Raymond's  arm. 

Stackelberg  was  seized  with  a  violent  attack  of  jeal- 
ousy. He  had  but  one  thought — to  get  down  into  the 
park  and  strive  to  overhear  their  conversation. 

Meanwhile,  Raymond  was  relating  to  Wanda  the  events 
of  the  previous  evening  ;  how  Federoff,  Litzanoff,  and 
Koroleff  had  arrived  at  Krylow,  and  the  result  of  their 
discussion,  which  we  have  already  heard.  He  also  told 
Wanda  that  her  mother,  not  being  very  strong  in  health, 
had  been  left  behind  at  Ekaterinoslav,  there  to  wait  until 
Federoff  should  send  for  her. 

Wanda  was  naturally  very  anxious  to  see  her  mother, 
and  told  Raymond  that  she  was  seriously  thinking  of 
leaving  her  father's  house  altogether,  so  as  to  be  free  to 
go  to  her  mother,  and  follow  out  her  own  work  for  the 
cause. 

"  My  situation  is  becoming  more  and  more  painful," 
she  said.  "Stackelberg  is  in  love  with  me,  and  will 
probably  ask  my  father  for  my  hand  to-day.  Then  I 
shall  have  to  undergo  all  sorts  of  terrible  scenes,  for  my 
father  desires  the  match.  Stackelberg  will  be  in  a  rage; 
he  is  jealous  of  you  ;  he  suspects  you  of  being  a  social- 
ist j  the  next  thing  will  be  your  arrest.  If  there  is  to 


THE  PROPOSAL.  267 


be  an  outbreak  in  the  neighborhood,  I  cannot  help  on  the 
rebellion  against  my  own  father.  I  think  I  would  better 
go  away." 

Just  then  Wanda  noticed  Stackelberg  watching  them. 

"  Here  comes  the  inquisitor,"  she  said.  "  We  must 
take  care  what  we  say.  Up  to  this  time,  I  have  man- 
aged to  persuade  him  that  there  are  no  socialists  in  this 
neighborhood;  but  since  yesterday  he  suspects  some- 
thing. My  father  is  going  to  have  quite  a  party  to-mor- 
row; we  can  easily  get  off  then  without  being  noticed. 
Anyhow,  I  must  see  our  friends  and  talk  it  over  with 
them.  Tell  them  that  I  wish  to  meet  them  to-night  in 
the  paper- factory,  at  twelve  o'clock.  And  I  wish  you 
would  come  for  me  this  evening,  in  a  droschky,  at  eleven 
o'clock." 

Instead  of  giving  Raymond  her  hand,  she  bowed  to 
him  quite  distantly,  as  though  dismissing  him.  Stackel- 
berg noticed  this,  for  he  was  now  very  near  them.  He 
also  noticed  that  they  had  carefully  kept  away  from  the 
shrubbery,  so  as  to  allow  no  eavesdropping.  All  this 
meant,  to  his  observant  mind,  a  secret  conversation. 

As  soon  as  he  came  near  enough,  Wanda  addressed 
him  in  the  most  friendly  manner.  » 

"  Good  morning,  Prince.  What  brings  you  out  so 
soon  ?  We  very  seldom  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you 
so  early." 

"I  do  not  like  early  rising;  but  this  morning  I  could 
not  sleep." 

"  While  you  are  lying  in  bed,  my  dear  inquisitor,  your 
favorite  socialists  may  be  gamboling  all  over  the  coun- 
try." 

"  In  fact,"  he  said,  looking  darkly  after  Raymond,  who 
disappeared  down  the  avenue,  "I  begin  to  believe  in 
their  existence." 

Vassili  walked  slowly  by  Wanda's  side.  They  were 
both  agitated,  both  very  much  embarrassed.  Suddenly, 
to  her  astonishment,  without  saying  another  word,  he 
turned  on  his  heel.  He  walked  quickly  in  the  direction  of 
the  house,  mounted  the  steps,  crossed  the  hall,  and  knock- 
ed at  the  door  of  Prince  Kryloff 's  private  room. 


208  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

The  Prince  admitted  him,  and  Stackelberg,  without 
any  preface,  asked  him  bluntly  for  his  daughter's  hand. 

The  Prince  was  delighted.  "I  am  very  anxious  to 
marry  my  daughter,"  he  said  to  Stackelberg,  "  and  you 
have  my  entire  approval  ;  but  you  must  first  gain  her  con- 
sent,—  for  I  give  you  fair  warning,  she  will  not  marry  to 
please  me,  unless  her  future  husband  suits  her  own  taste 
likewise.  But  she  has  always  been  very  kind  to  you, 
and  invited  you  to  stay  with  us  here  in  the  Ukraine." 

"  I  have  hesitated  for  some  time  before  coming  to  you," 
answered  Stackelberg,  "  for  I  cannot  make  up  my  mind 
what  your  daughter's  feelings  are  towards  me.  Some- 
times she  encourages  me,  and  then  again  she  discourages 
me  in  the  most  pointed  manner,  without  my  being  able 
to  find  out  what  is  the  reason  of  it." 

"  Women  are  all  alike,  Vassili  Antonovitch,  and  Wanda 
is  certainly  a  very  singular  girl.  However,  I  will  speak 
to  her  to-day,  and  if  she  gives  her  consent  we  can  have 
the  betrothal  to-morrow.  Then  your  marriage  can  be 
formally  announced." 

"  The  sooner  the  better,"  answered  Vassili.  "  I  am 
desperately  in  love,  but  I  must  tell  you  that  I  am  un- 
easy about  this  great  intimacy  between  the  Princess 
and  the  Frenchman." 

"Whom  do  you  mean — Chabert?" 

"  I  do  indeed." 

"  You  surely  are  not  in  earnest,  Stackelberg?  Prin- 
cess Kryloff  could  never  lower  herself  to  fall  in  love 
with  Chabert.  Wanda  is  too  proud,  too  dignified,  to  for- 
get herself  so  far  as  that.  Raymond  Chabert  has  been  of 
great  use  to  me,  and  I  have  paid  him  well  for  his  ser- 
vices. He  is  a  very  good  engineer,  but  he  is  a  mere  no- 
body in  society;  he  is  not  clever,  and  if  a  Frenchman  is 
not  clever,  what  is  he?" 

"  I  grant  you  all  that,"  retorted  Vassili;  "but  still,  the 
Princess  has  undoubtedly  a  fancy  for  him." 

"  I  think  you  are  mistaken;  however,  as  soon  as  this 
road  through  my  property  is  finished,  I  shall  politely 
ask  him  to  take  his  departure.  I  agree  with  our  late  Em- 


THE  PROPOSAL.  269 


peror  Nicholas  concerning  the  French.  To  admit  them 
into  our  country  is  to  throw  open  the  gates  for  the  en- 
trance of  the  Revolution." 

"  I  depend  upon  you,  then,  dear  Prince,"  answered 
Vassili,  "to  see  the  Princess  and  to  obtain  her  consent?" 

"  1  will  go  to  her  at  once,"  answered  her  father;  "  and 
I  hope  to  bring  you  a  favorable  answer." 

Prince  Kryloff  found  Wanda  alone,  sitting  at  her  desk 
writing. 

"  My  daughter,"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  glad  tone,  "I  have 
good  news  for  you.  Prince  Stackelberg  has  proposed 
for  you." 

"Well,  what  of  that?  He  says  I  am  a  socialist;  what 
does  he  want  with  a  socialist  for  his  wife?" 

"  You  do  not  seem  very  well  disposed  towards  him  to- 
day?" 

"  All  yesterday  and  all  this  morning  he  spent  in  watch- 
ing me.  I  thought  he  came  here  to  look  out  for  the 
socialists,  but  it  seems  he  has  come  to  look  out  for  me." 

"  My  child,  he  loves  you." 

"  Well,  that  is  no  reason  why  he  should  be  such  a  spy." 

"  He  is  jealous." 

"Poor  fellow  1" 

"And  he  wants  to  marry  you,  and  he  has  sent  me  to 
you  to  ask  your  consent." 

"lam  very  sorry  to  hear  it." 

"Why?" 

"Because  I  positively  refuse  to  marry  him." 

"  What!  you  refuse  him?" 

"Certainly  I  do. 

"  The  best  match  in  the  empire  !  Reflect  for  a  mo- 
ment; this  is  the  best  offer  you  have  ever  had.  I  beg  of 
you  do  not  throw  away  your  prospects  in  a  fit  of  bad 
humor." 

"I  do  not  refuse  Prince  Stackelberg  because  I  am  in  a 
bad  humor,  but  because  I  do  not  love  him." 

"  You  need  not  love  him.  There  is  nothing  more  stu- 
pid than  a  love-match.  Look  at  me!  I  married  for  love, 
and  I  surely  have  paid  dear  for  it." 


270  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"There  is  one  other  person  who  has  paid  still  dearer,' 
retorted  Wanda. 

"Whom  do  you  mean?"  said  the  Prince,  frowning. 

"  I  mean  her." 

He  made  no  answer  to  this  remark;  he  feared  another 
outbreak. 

"Wanda,"  he  went  on,  "I  very  much  desire  your  mar- 
riage, and  this  proposal  suits  me  in  every  respect.  Vas- 
sili  has  a  large  fortune,  and  so  have  I;  your  children  will 
inherit  it  all,  and . . . . " 

"  I  do  not  care  for  money,"  interrupted  Wanda,  "  and 
I  have  other-views  for  my  marriage." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  Whom  do  you  desire  to  marry? 
Will  you  not  tell  me?" 

"  I  know  you  will  never  give  your  consent.  He  is  not 
a  nobleman,  and  I  do  not  even  know  who  his  family 
are." 

"What  means  has  he?" 

"He  has  no  means." 

"Then  certainly  you  must  be  insane." 

"  I  do  not  estimate  people  according  to  their  rank.  It 
is  merelv  an  accident  of  birth;  and  after  all,  what  is 
birth?  We  nobles  are  all  descended  from  some  old  rob- 
ber or  murderer,  or . ..." 

Upon  hearing  these  words  the  anger  of  the  Prince 
knew  no  bounds.  The  sweat  stood  in  great  beads  on  his 
forehead;  his  hands  were  clenched;  his  mouth  was  white 
with  rage.  His  voice  trembled  so  he  could  hardly  speak. 

"•  This  is  all  sheer  folly,"  he  said  at  length.  "Marriage 
is  not  a  pastime,  to  last  but  for  an  hour;  it  is  a  serious 
thing  to  undertake,  involving  not  only  your  own  life,  but 
the  lives  of  your  children.  Do  you  wish  to  shame  me 
before  the  eyes  of  the  world?" 

"  I  do  not  see  what  there  is  shameful  in  marrying  an 
honorable,  talented  man." 

"Is  this  person  whom  you  fancy  a  Russian?" 

"  No,  he  is  a  Frenchman." 

"  Chabert! — it  is  Chabert!  "  shrieked  the  Prince,  utterly 
beside  himself  with  rage.  "  Never,  never!  I  would 


THE  PROPOSAL.  271 

rather  see  you  dead.  I  am  afraid  of  myself  !  I  am  afraid 
of  myself f" 

He  rushed  toward  the  door,  but  Wanda  stood  in  the 
way.  "Father,"  she  said,  "  do  not  mention  our  conver- 
sation to  any  one — above  all,  to  Chabert;  and  do  not  send 
him  away.  He  knows  nothing  of  my  feelings  for  him; 
he  is  perfectly  respectful,  and  a  pure-minded  man.  If 
you  send  him  away,  I  know  what  I  shall  do." 

«  What?  " 

"  I  shall  go  with  him." 

"You  would  leave  me  to  follow  that  fellow?" 

"  1  certainly  should." 

"Wanda,"  said  Prince  Kryloff,  "  I  give  you  two  days 
for  reflection — not  about  Chabert,  but  about  your  mar- 
riage with  Vassili  Stackelberg.  If  you  wish  to  marry 
without  my  consent,  and  if  you  refer  the  question  to  the 
Assembly,  you  certainly  will  not  obtain  its  sanction."* 

Wanda  listened  to  her  father  with  a  smile  upon  her 
lips  ;  she  would  have  defied  him  openly  had  she  not 
suddenly  thought  of  the  meeting  that  she  was  to  attend 
that  night. 

"Very  well,"  she  said;  "as  you  offer  to  give  me  two 
days  to  think  over  Prince  Stackelberg's  proposal,  L  will 
accept  your  terms.  Day  after  to-morrow,  at  this  time,  I 
will  give  you  my  answer." 

"Is  that  a  promise?" 

"  It  is." 

"  And  you  will  not  do  anything  between  now  and  then 
without  letting  me  know?" 

"  I  will  not;  I  give  you  my  word." 

"  That  will  do;  now  we  must  see  about  our  party  to- 
morrow. Have  you  asked  Joseph  if  everything  is  at- 
tended to?" 

"  Not  yet;  but  I  am  going  to." 

"My  dear  child,"  said  the  Prince,  "do  not  forget  that 

*In  every  district  there  is  an  Assembly  of  nobles  which  meets  three  times 
a  year.  At  these  meetings  the  inspectors  of  police,  the  school  masters,  and 
the  judges  are  elected.  They  pass  judgment  upon  all  questions  of  inheri- 
tance, all  accusations  of  one  noblemau  against  another,  all  questions  of  mar- 
riage, and  all  other  difficulties  which  affect  the  nobility  in  the  district. 


272  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

all  the  happiness  and  all  the  pride  of  my  life  depend 
wholly  on  you." 

"  If  that  is  so,"  said  Wanda,  "  do  not  forget  that  you 
promised  me  also  to  give  a  present  of  money  to  every 
one  of  your  workmen  to-morrow,  if  I  would  consent  to 
take  an  interest  in  the  party." 

"  Yes,  I  will  do  so;  but  I  shall  give  the  money  in  your 
name." 

"Please  do  not;  please  give  it  in  your  own  name;  I 
have  a  reason  for  asking  you  to  do  this." 

"  Well,  I  will  think  it  over;  but  I  do  not  care  to  be 
taxed  with  a  liberalism  which  I  do  not  feel.  It  would  be 
undertaking  to  play  a  part  for  which  I  have  no  talent 
whatever." 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  SURPRISE. 

WHEN  Wanda  found  herself  alone  she  hastened  to 
write  the  following  note: 

"Mr  DEAR  RAYMOND:  What  I  told  you  this  morn- 
ing has  come  to  pass.  My  father  wishes  me  to  marry  the 
German.  I  have  not,  as  yet,  told  him  of  our  marriage; 
but  if  he  pushes  me  too  far  I  shall  tell  him  all.  In  that 
case  I  shall  be  obliged  to  quit  his  house;  for  he  will  never 
accept  you  as  a  son-in-law.  You  must  be  very  careful 
when  you  come  for  me  to-night.  Wait  for  me  at  the 
lower  gate,  and  do  not  show  yourself  near  the  house  to- 
day." 

All  that  day  Wanda  appeared  absorbed  in  the  prepa- 
rations for  the  entertainment  that  was  to  come  off  the 
next  evening.  She  went  from  one  room  to  the  other, 
giving  orders,  superintending  the  decorations,  and  always 


THE  SURPRISE.  273 


seeming'  very  agreeable  to  Prince  Stackelberg,  who  fol- 
lowed her  about  incessantly.  He  knew  that  she  had  re- 
quested two  days  in  which  to  consider  his  proposal;  and 
he  never  doubted  that  her  determination  would  be  fa- 
vorable to  him. 

Night  had  fallen.  Prince  Kryloff  was  in  bed,  just  go- 
ing to  sleep,  when  a  terrible  thought  crossed  his  brain. 
What  if  Wanda's  politeness  to  Stackelberg  were  but  a 
ruse  to  throw  them  off  the  track?  Where  had  Chabert 
been  all  day  long?  What  if  she  were  going  to  run  off 
with  him  that  very  night? 

It  was  eleven  o'clock.  He  got  up,  dressed  himself 
quickly,  and  hastened  to  the  door  of  Wanda's  cottage. 

It  was  a  lovely  night,  star-lit  and  clear.  There  was  no 
light  in  the  windows.  He  listened;  there  was  no 
sound.  He  looked  around  him  for  the  karavouluays.* 
At  last  he  saw  one  stretched  out  on  the  ground,  sound 
asleep.  He  pushed  him  with  his  foot.  No  answer.  He 
shook  him,  but  he  could  not  arouse  him;  the  man  had 
evidently  been  drinking. 

The  Prince  went  around  to  the  back  of  the  house,  and 
there  he  found  another  karavouluay  asleep  upon  a  bench. 
He  struck  _  him  violently.  The  watchman  opened  his 
great  blue  eyes  for  a  moment,  and  then  closed  them 
again.  Evidently  this  man,  too,  was  drunk. 

He  examined  the  shrubbery  and  tried  to  open  the 
door,  but  it  resisted  all  his  efforts.  Everything  was  per- 
fectly silent.  His  suspicions  began  to  fade  away.  He 
heard  nothing  but  the  nightingale  trilling  out  her  pearly 
notes  on  the  silent  night  air;  and  he  turned  away,  greatly 
relieved,  to  go  to  his  own  room,  when  a  slight  noise,  like 
the  drawing  of  a  bolt,  made  him  pause  and  hide  himself 
quickly  behirrd  a  clump  of  trees.  And  then  he  saw  a 
shadow  on  the  gravel  walk;  a  woman  was  coming  out  of 
the  cottage. 

It  was  Wanda. 

The  Prince  stood  terrified,  dumbfounded,  rooted  to  the 

*  Night  watchmen. 

18 


274  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

earth.  Wanda  was  walking  very  fast;  somebody  must 
be  waiting  for  her;  could  it  be  Chabert? 

He  would  follow  her,  and  find  out  what  she  was  about. 
He  suspected  that  she  was  going  to  the  lower  park-gate, 
and  crossing  the  park  he  made  for  that  point. 

He  reached  the  gate,  and  waited  for  her.  In  a  few 
moments  he  heard  a  horse  snorting  on  the  other  side  of 
the  wall;  a  man  spoke  to  it — the  voice  was  Chabert's  ! 

The  Prince  saw  Wanda  coming  towards  the  gate;  as 
she  put  the  key  in  the  lock,  her  father  sprang  forward 
and  seized  her  in  his  arms. 

"  You  shall  not  go  out !  "  he  said,  in  a  hollow  voice. 

Wanda  gave  a  stifled  cry.     "I  will  go ! "  she  replied. 

"Where?" 

She  made  no  answer. 

"  I  know  where  you  are  going.  You  are  going  to  run 
away  with  that  Frenchman." 

"  I  am  engaged  to  be  married  to  him,"  she  said. 

"Is  that  true?  How  long  have  you  been  engaged?" 

"  We  have  exchanged  rings*  before  witnesses,  and  you 
can  no  longer  oppose  our  marriage." 

•'  We  shall  see  about  that.  Meanwhile,  you  shall  not 
p:i£S  through  this  gate." 

"  I  beg  you,  father,  to  let  me  go  !  I  am  not  going  to 
run  away,  I  assure  you;  I  shall  be  back  in  two  hours;  but 
I  must  go." 

"  Wei!,  tell  me  where  you  are  going?" 

"  I  am  going  to  see  a  poor  woman  who  is  dangerously 
ill.  I  promised  to  send  her  something,  and  the  prepara- 
tions for  to-morrow  put  it  all  out  of  my  mind." 

"  Well,  I  will  go  with  you." 

"  That  is  impossible." 

"  What  a  lie  you  are  telling  me  !  What  is  this  woman's 
name?" 

"Akonlina  Federoff." 

She  was  the  doctor's  sister;  she  was  really  very  ill,  and 
Wanda  had  been  intending  to  go  to  see  her  all  day  long, 
to  tell  her  about  her  brother  Michael. 

"This,  in  Russia,  is  nearly  equivalent  to  a  marriage. 


THE  SURPRISE.  275 


"  Federoff !"  cried  the  Prince.  "How  dare  you  pro- 
pounce  that  accursed  name  in  my  presence?" 

His  whole  past  life  seemed  to  pass  before  him  like  a 
'jream.  "Wretched  girl!  wretched  girl!"  he  repeated, 
"  to-morrow  I  shall  take  care  that  none  of  these  Federoffs 
remain  longer  on  my  estate.  Give  me  the  key  of  the 
gate!" 

"  I  will  not!  "  answered  Wanda. 

The  Prince  held  a  stick  in  his  hand;  Wanda  knew  this 
well.  She  was  frightened — not  about  herself,  but  about 
Raymond. 

u  What  are  you  going  to  do?"  she  asked,  in  a  beseech- 
ing voice. 

"  Open  the  gate,  I  tell  you!  " 

"No,  I  will  not!"  repeated  Wanda. 

The  moon  was  shining  full  upon  the  young  girl's  face. 
Her  resemblance  to  her  mother  was  striking. 

"  Curses  upon  her!  "  cried  the  Prince,  beside  himself 
with  rage;  "it  is  Alexandra  herself — her  own  devilish, 
infernal  self !  " 

He  raised  his  hand  to  strike,  when  he  was  seized  from 
behind  by  a  powerful  arm.  It  was  Raymond,  who,  hear- 
ing this  violent  altercation,  had  climbed  the  wall  to  find 
out  what  was  the  matter. 

The  Prince  turned,  and  disengaging  himself,  brought 
down  his  stick  upon  Raymond's  head  with  great  force. 
The  young  Frenchman  sprang  lightly  aside,  and  before 
the  blow  could  be  repeated,  Wanda  threw  herself  be- 
tween them,  and  seizing  her  father's  uplifted  arm,  cried 
out: 

"  Do  not  strike  him!  do  not  strike  him  !  he  is  my  hus- 
band! " 

"Your  husband!  "  shouted  the  Prince.  "I  do  not  be- 
lieve a  word  of  it!  Get  out  of  here,  Sir!  Get  out  of 
here,  I  tell  you!  " 

Wanda  quickly  unlocked  the  gate,  and  pushed  Ray- 
mond out. 

"Go  on,"  she  said,  "and  tell  the  Federoffs  that  I  can- 
not come  to  them  to-night." 


276  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"The  Federoffs!  the  Federoffs!  "  roared  the  Prince. 

Wanda  turned  away  to  go  back  to  the  house,  her 
father  following  her.  They  walked  on  without  saying  a 
word.  Her  father  could  hardly  hold  himself  up;  he  was 
wild  with  rage,  and  tottered  from  side  to  side  like  a 
drunken  man. 

Wanda  began  to  regret  the  step  she  had  taken.  As 
she  saw  her  father  in  such  distress  her  heart  softened  to- 
wards him;  but  the  thought  of  his  violence,  rage,  and  in- 
justice, kept  alive  her  rebellious  feelings. 

"Wanda,"  he  said  suddenly,  "I  have  a  right  to  insist 
upon  an  explanation.  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this? 
You  merely  wished  to  frighten  me,  did  you  not?  You 
are  not  engaged  to  Chabert?  Still  less  is  he  your  hus- 
band. Let  us  sit  down  here;  I  cannot  stand." 

He  sank  upon  a  seat,  and  Wanda  took  her  place  by  his 
side. 

"I  have  often,"  he  continued,  "been  unjust  and  un- 
kind and  angry  with  you;  but  my  whole  nature  is  embit- 
tered by  my  past  life.  Look  at  your  own  eccentricities; 
your  mysterious  comings  and  goings,  enough  to  exas- 
perate the  mildest  father.  Be  loving  to  me,  my  child, 
and  pity  me.  Tell  me  that  you  are  not  going  to  leave 
me;  and  above  all,  promise  me  that  you  will  not  think  of 
marrying  this  Frenchman;  this  ambitious  wretch,  who 
covets  your  fortune  much  more  than  your  heart;  this  low 
adventurer;  this. ..." 

"  That  is  enough,"  said  Wanda,  rising  ;  "  I  cannot  al- 
low you  to  speak  in  that  manner  of  Raymond,  whom  I 
esteem  deeply,  and  who  is  really  my  husband." 

The  Prince  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"Your  husband!  your  husband!"  he  cried.  "Oh, 
no  !  it  cannot  be.  You  must  be  joking  with  me  I  You 
are  not  married  ?  " 

"  Yes,  we  are  married." 

"  Since  when  ?  " 

"For  four  months." 

"  Where  were  you  married  ?  " 

"  In  Petersburg." 


THE  SURPRISE.  277 


"In  what  parish  ?" 

"  I  shall  not  tell  you." 

"  If  I  have  to  search  through  the  whole  forty-eight 
parishes  of  Petersburg,  I  shall  find  out  what  pope  has 
dared  to  perform  this  marriage  without  my  consent.  And 
if  there  is  such  a  marriage,  I  shall  have  it  broken  ;  and 
the  pope  who  has  dared  to  break  the  canon-law  of  the 
church  shall  be  severely  punished.  I  mean  what  I  say, 
and  you  know  I  am  not  to  be  trifled  with." 

"I  know  it  well." 

"  And  still  you  do  not  fear  me.  Who  has  taught  you 
to  drive  me  to  despair  in  this  manner  ?" 

"  Do  you  really  wish  to  know  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  do." 

"Well,  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Wanda.  "For  a  long 
time  I  have  been  striving  to  awaken  in  you  a  sense  of 
justice,  and  to  make  you  understand  that  you  are  in  no 
wise  superior  to  other  men.  I  have  wished  by  this  mar- 
riage of  mine  to  humiliate  your  pride,  and  thus  to  avenge 
those  whom  you  have  wronged  and  oppressed.  I  wished 
to  avenge  my  own  noble  mother,  whom  you  tortured.  I 
wished  to  avenge  Michael  Federoff,  whom  you  condemned 
to  the  most  infamous  punishment.  These  are  not  your 
only  crimes  ;  daily  you  oppress  the  poor,  strike  the  weak, 
outrage  the  defenseless.  How  often  have  I  tried  to 
check  you  in  this  criminal  course  ?" 

"  Criminal  !  I  a  criminal  ! "  muttered  the  Prince. 
"  Yes,  Wanda,  you  are  a  nihilist  like  your  mother!  " 

"  I  am  exactly  like  her,"  replied  Wanda;  "and  that  is 
why  I  married  Chabert.  You  dreamed  of  an  alliance  for 
me  which  would  increase  our  wealth,  and  place  me  at  the 
head  of  Russian  society.  You  desired  as  my  husband  a 
Russian  nobleman,  powerful  and  haughty,  imbued  with 
all  your  ideas  of  authority.  I,  on  the  contrary,  desired  a 
poor,  honest  man,  kindly  andgenerous;  and  I  have  found 
him  in  Raymond  Chabert." 

"  Hush,  Wanda,  hush !  "  repeated  the  Prince ;  "  you 
will  drive  me  crazy!  You  dare  to  pass  judgment  upon 
me  and  my  actions?  Come  home  at  once.  To-morrow 


278  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

I  will  talk  this  over  with  you.  I  cannot  allow  this  mar- 
riage, nor  do  I  entirely  believe  in  it.  Why  have  you 
kept  it  from  me  for  four  months?  I  suppose  you  have 
exchanged  rings;  but  just  now,  I  can  talk  with  you  no 
more  on  this  subject.  I  only  ask  one  thing  of  you;  give 
me  two  days'  respite.  To-morrow  two  or  three  hundred 
persons  will  be  here;  after  the  fete  is  over,  I  will  see  you 
again  about  it.  But  no  scandal,  Wanda,  I  conjure  you. 
If  you  knew  how  to  treat  me,  you  could  do  anything  with 
me;  but  you  shock  me  all  the  time." 

"  Father,  you  do  not  know  how  often  you  shock  every 
one  about  you.  Look  at  that  stick  in  your  hand,  that  was 
raised  but  a  little  while  ago  to  strike  me  and  Raymond! 
Yesterday,  when  the  workwomen  in  the  paper-mill  sent 
to  ask  you  to  raise  their  wages,  what  was  your  answer? 
That  instead  of  ten  kopecks  extra,  you  would  give  them 
ten  blows  of  your  stick  extra." 

"  My  child,  you  did  not  read  their  address;  it  was  in- 
solent beyond  expression.  They  not  only  demanded 
more  pay,  but  also  shorter  hours  of  work." 

"  Well,  what  if  they  did?  it  would  not  ruin  you  to 
grant  their  request." 

"  If  I  were  to  grant  everything  they  ask,  I  should  soon 

be  ruined.  I  cannot  increase  their  wages 

But  I  am  taking  cold;  I  am  shaking  all  over.  You  will 
kill  me,  Wanda!  Ah,  such  ingratitude!  There  is  not  a 
wish  of  yours  that  I  have  ever  denied.  And  how  many 
sacrifices  I  have  made  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of 
those  workmen!  But  the  more  I  grant  them,  the  more 
do  they  strive  to  grasp.  You  can  look  through  my  books, 
and  you  will  see  that  in  some  of  the  factories  the  outlay 
has  far  exceeded  the  income.  Ah,  these  workmen!  this 
vermin!  these  low  wretches!" 

Wanda  sighed.  "It  will  never  be  any  better  with 
him,"  she  murmured. 

They  had  reached  Wanda's  cottage  ;  she  bade  her 
father  good-night  and  went  into  the  house.  As  soon  as 
she  had  shut  the  door  behind  her,  the  Prince  went  up  to 
one  of  the  karavouluays,  who  was  still  asleep,  and  kicked 


THE  SURPRISE.  279 

him.  The  man  awoke  and  jumped  up,  looking  at  his 
master  with  a  scared  face. 

'•  This  is  the  way  you  do  your  duty,  is  it?  Well,  I  will 
pay  you  what  you  have  earned." 

And  raising  his  stick,  the  Prince  beat  him  with  all  his 
might,  and  at  last  gave  him  such  a  violent  blow  that  it 
prostrated  him.  He  then  went  back  of  the  house  to 
where  the  other  karavouluay  slept  the  drunkard's  sleep, 
and  treated  him  in  the  same  manner. 

Wanda,  hearing  these  cries  and  howls,  threw  open  her 
window  and  looked  out;  she  was  witness  of  the  whole 
scene. 

"Ah,  my  dear  Katia!  "  she  said,  turning  to  her  friend; 
"surely  the  measure  of  his  iniquity  is  full.  He  does  not 
believe  in  my  marriage  as  yet;  but  as  soon  as  he  finds 
the  proof  of  it,  he  is  fully  capable  of  killing  Raymond 
and  me  too." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  asked  Katia. 

"  I  do  not  know;  but  I  feel  that  I  must  decide  at 
once." 

"You  must  indeed,"  said  Katia;  "it  would  be  miser- 
able weakness  to  sit  still  and  look  on  at  such  scenes  as 
the  one  we  have  just  witnessed,  without  speaking." 

"  Listen  to  me,  Katia;  you  know  my  whole  heart; 
I  have  hid  nothing  from  you.  I  know  that  my  father  is 
most  culpable;  no  one  knows  it  so  well  as  I;  but  when  I 
think  of  all  the  love  he  has  bestowed  on  me,  of  all  the 
hopes  he  has  centred  in  me,  I  shrink  from  striking  the 
blow  which  I  feel  will  cut  him  to  the  heart.  He  is  my 
father,  Katia;  and  I  cannot  help  excusing  his  vices,  which 
are  but  the  result  of  the  barbarous  civilization  of  our 
land." 

"  But  you  owe  it  to  the  cause  to  withdraw  your  ap- 
proval from  his  iniquitous  actions.  Besides,  you  are 
married.  It  is  your  duty  to  go  with  your  husband." 

"  To-night,"  answered  Wanda,  "our  friends  are  to  have 
a  meeting  in  the  paper-mill.  If  I  get  up  very  early 
to-morrow  morning,  I  shall  be  able  to  get  there  before 
they  break  up.  I  hope  Padlewsky  will  be  there,  for  I 


280  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

do   not  wish  to  determine  upon  any  plan  of  action  with- 
out consulting  him." 

"Have  you  not  asked  your  mother  for  her  advice?" 
"  Yes;  but  I  want  to  speak  to  Michael  and  our  Peters- 
burg friends  about  it.     As  soon  as  it  is   daylight,  do  you 
go  to  Akoulina's  house  and  tell  her    to    say  that  she  was 
expecting  me  there  yesterday." 

Meanwhile  the  Prince  had  sent  two  fresh  karavouluays 
to  watch  the  cottage,  with  strict  orders  to  allow  no  one 
to  leave  it. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

THE  VILLAGE. 

VERT  early  in  the  morning,  Katia,  who  had  not  been 
able  to  sleep,  opened  her  shutters  to  let  in  the  light. 
The  first  thing  that  struck  her  eye  was  the  two  new  ka- 
ravouluays. She  instantly  went  to  the  Princess  with  the 
news. 

Wanda  dressed  herself  hastily,  and  leaning  out  of  her 
window," called  the  men  to  her.  All  the  servants  adored 
her,  for  she  treated  them  as  her  equals,  and  they  would 
have  gone  through  fire  and  water  for  her. 

"  My  friends,"  she  said,  "Katia  and  I  want  to  go  out; 
we  shall  probably  be  away  for  three  hours,  and  the 
Prince  must  know  nothing  about  it.  Do  you  under- 
stand?" 

"Yes,  your  Excellency,"  they  answered;  "the  Prince 
shall  know  nothing  of  it." 

Wanda's  coachman  had  also  received  a  warning  not  to 
provide  her  with  a  carriage  under  any  pretext;  but  he, 
like  the  karavouluays,  adored  her;  and  about  five  o'clock 
she  and  Katia  stepped  into  a  droschky,  drawn  by  a  spir- 
ited little  horse,  and  drove  rapidly  away  in  the  direction 
of  Krylow. 


THE  VILLAGE.  281 


Wanda  stopped  the  carriage  at  a  point  where  two 
roads  crossed.  Katia  got  out:" 

"  It  will  take  you  about  an  hour,"  said  "Wanda,  "  to 
get  to  Akoulina's,  and  from  there  to  the  factory." 

Katia  walked  away,  while  Wanda  drove  on  to  the  pa- 
per-mill, which  was  under  kthe  superintendence  of  Zobo- 
levvsky. 

Before  Katia  had  arrived  at  the  Federoffs,  she  heard  a 
sound  of  wheels  behind  her.  Looking  back,  she  saw  a 
terika,  rushing  along  at  a  tremendous  pace.  She  hid  be- 
hind a  hedge,  and  the  vehicle  passed  her.  "  It  must  be 
the  Prince  going  to  Federoff's  cottage,"  she  said.  Not 
knowing  exactly  what  to  do,  she  walked  slowly  on. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Prince  had  driven  into  the  little 
village,  and  had  stopped  his  horses  before  the  mayor's 
house.  That  functionary  hastily  coming  out  to  pay  his 
respects  to  his  lord,  Prince  Kryloff  asked  him  to  point  out 
the  Federoff's  cottage,  and  instantly  drove  towards  it. 

It  was  a  pretty  little  house,  standing  on  the  outskirts 
of  a  pine  forest.  The  front  door  was  adorned  with  some 
very  good  wood  carvings;  and  a  little  garden  ran  along- 
side, already  glowing  with  early  spring  flowers. 

The  Prince  got  out  of  his  carriage,  and  knocked  rudely 
at  the  door.  As  he  entered,  he  was  struck  by  the  air  of  ele- 
gance which  pervaded  everything  within.  Numerous  ar- 
ticles of  fine  porcelain  and  glass  adorned  the  room;  carved 
oaken  chests  and  a  large  wardrobe,  a  fine  samovar  of  bril- 
liant copper — all  indicated  comparative  comfort. 

On  a  bed  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  surrounded  by  her 
family,  lay  Akoulina,  evidently  very  near  death.  A  per- 
son who  appeared  to  be  a  physician  was  sitting  by  her 
side  holding  her  hand.  The  Prince  took  him  for  the  vil- 
lage doctor. 

"Has  Princess  Wanda  been  here?"  he  asked. 

"  We  have  not  seen  her,  Your  Excellency,"  answered 
one  of  the  women,  very  timidly. 

"  Is  your  daughter  Akoulina  ill?  "  he  inquired. 

Old  Federoff  merely  pointed  to  the  bed,  but  spoke  not 
a  word. 


282  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS . 

"Did  you  expect  the  Princess  here  yesterday?" 

No  one  answered. 

"Answer  me,  I  tell  you  !  Did  she  promise  you  that  she 
would  be  here?"  asked  the  Prince  again,  impatiently. 

"  The  Princess  told  us  perhaps  she  might  be  here," 
answered  the  old  man. 

"Is  the  Princess  here?  Where  is  she?"  cried  Akoulina, 
struggling  to  arise. 

"  The  Princess  is  not  here,"  answered  her  sister-in-law. 
"  It  is  the  Prince." 

The  dying  girl,  hearing  these  words,  by  a  terrible  effort 
sat  upright  in  her  bed;  and  looking  eagerly  around, 
hissed  through  her  teeth: 

"  Michael  !  Michael !  hide  !  hide  !  fly  !  "  and  then, 
speaking  to  the  Prince,  she  continued  with  an  obsequious 
smile:  "Michael  is  not  here,  Your  Excellency.  He  has 
not  done  anything  wrong.  Will  you  punish  him  with  the 
knout  again?" 

"  She  is  delirious,"  muttered  old  Federoff.  "  She  takes 
the  doctor  for  Michael." 

Bat  the  Prince  fixed  his  eyes  on  the  stranger.  Sudden- 
ly a  strange  look  came  upon  his  face.  He  rushed  for- 
ward, and  seizing  the  man  by  the  arm,  turned  him  round 
to  the  light. 

"  It  is  Michael,  indeed  ! "  he  said. 

Michael  looked  him  full  in  the  face,  as  ho  spoke:  "I 
came  to  be  with  my  sister  in  her  last  moments;  she  is 
going  to  die." 

The  Prince  did  not  hear  him. 

"Here?"  he  said;  "here?  he  dares  to  appear  here,  on 
my  estate?" 

"  This  is  a  free  village,"  retorted  Michael. 
"But  you  are  not  free.     You  have  been  condemned  to 
the  mines,  and  there  shall  you  go." 

The  whole  family,  weeping  and  gesticulating,  sur- 
rounded the  Prince,  imploring  him  to  pardon  Michael. 

"Pardon  him!"  he  cried.  "Surely  there  is  a  God  in 
heaven,  and  he  has  brought  him  back  to  me;  and  there  is 
such  a  thing  as  justice,  and  I  will  teach  him  to  know  it." 


THE  VILLAGE. 


"  There  is  neither  God  nor  justice!  "  cried  out  old  Fed- 
eroflf ;  "or " 

"Or  what?"  said  the  Prince. 

"Mercy!  mercy!  your  Excellency!  "  said  the  younger 
sister. 

"  Hush!  "  said  Michael.  "  What  is  the  use  of  lowering 
yourself  to  this  man?  " 

"This  man!"  called  out  the  Prince.  "Who  are  you 
speaking  of?  I  will  teach  you  how  to  behave  yourself! " 

He  lifted  his  stick  to  strike;  but  Michael  avoided  the 
blow  by  striking  up  the  Prince's  hand,  and  the  cane  flew 
across  the  room,  shattering  the  crockery  into  a  thousand 
pieces. 

"Stop!"  cried  the  old  man;  "this  shall  not  go  on. 
Swear  to  me  this  moment  that  you  will  allow  Michael  to 
escape!  Swear  it  before  this  shrine  of  the  Virgin,  or  you 
shall  not  leave  this  house  alive! " 

"And  who  is  to  prevent  me  from  leaving  this  house?" 
asked  the  Prince,  with  a  sneer. 

"We  will!"  said  the  old  man. 

Ivan,  Michael's  brother,  Michael  himself,  and  their 
father,  stood  before  the  door — three  powerful  enemies. 

The  Prince  saw  his  danger,  but  with  dignity  he  said: 

"  I  order  you  to  let  me  pass." 

The  three  men  did  not  move. 

He  raised  his  hand  to  strike  the  old  man  ;  but  the  sons 
stopped  him. 

"  What !  "  said  he  ;  "  dare  you  lift  your  hands  against 
me?" 

"  You  have  not  only  raised  your  hand  but  your  leath- 
ern thongs  against  us.  In  those  days,  the  power  was  on 
your  side  ;  now,  it  is  on  ours.  The  law  of  force  is  the 
only  law  in  which  you  believe.  It  is  now  your  turn  to 
subm.t.  Down  on  your  knees,  and  ask  pardon  of  God, 
and  also  of  your  victims  ! " 

"  Ask  pardon  of  you,  clowns  ! "  roared  the  Prince,  and 
he  rushed  upon  Michael  ;  but  Ivan  and  his  father  pin- 
ioned his  arms  from  behind,  while  they  cried  out : 

"  Swear  that  you  will  not  have  Michael  arres  ed  ! 
Swear  it ! " 


284  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Rage  and  indignation  had  rendered  th3  Prince  half 
blind.  He  was  afraid  that  he  would  lose  his. conscious- 
ness. 

"I  swear  that  I  will  not  have  him  arrested,"  at  last 
he  said. 

"  Keep  him  here,"  cried  Michael,  "  while  I  make  my 
escape."  He  kissed  Akoulina,  and  flew  out  of  the  door. 

Koroleff  was  waiting  for  him  in  a  little  thicket  hard 
by,  and  they  drove  off  hurriedly  to  the  paper-mill.  But 
the  Prince  was  not  allowed  to  quit  the  cottage  until  half 
an  hour  later.  He  was  wild  with  fury.  He  had  but  one 
thought,  and  that  was  vengeance. 

When  he  came  to  the  public  square,  he  found  the  pope, 
the  mayor,  and  the  two  tarostas*  waiting  for  him.  The 
season,  they  said,  had  been  bad  ;  they  had  been  obliged 
to  buy  expensive  machinery;  and  they  had  met  together 
to  implore  the  Prince  to  grant  them  a  twelvemonth  long- 
er in  which  to  pay  their  land-tax.  But  the  Prince  would 
not  listen  to  them. 

"  1  will  not  grant  you  a  day  !  "  he  answered;  "  not  an 
hour  !  You  are  all  rich! «  The  Federoffs  are  rich  !  You 
are  all  nihilists  !" 

"  Nihilists!  "  exclaimed  the  pope.  "  The  Federoffs 
may  be,  Your  Excellency,  for  they  never  set  their  foot 
inside  of  the  church;  but  all  of  us  are  pious  men,  who  love 
God  and  the  Czar." 

"  Are  you  sure  that  the  Federoffs  are  nihilists  ?" 

"  They  are  always  talking  against  their  betters,"  an- 
s-.vered  the  pope.  "  They  are  in  constant  correspondence 
v.-ith  the  workmen  in  the  mill,  who  are  all  revolutionists; 
and  they  even  havo  been  heard  to  say  that  the  Princess 
is  a  socialist  herself." 

Without  hearing  another  word,  the  Prince  got  into  his 
droschky. 

"  May  we  not  hope,  Your  Excellency,"  said  the  mayor, 
very  humbly,  "that  you  will  grant  us  a  little  delay?" 

"Not  one  day  !  "  answered  the  Prince;  "you  can  borrow 
the  money  from  the  Jews." 

"  Drive  to  Krylow,"  he  called  out  to  the  coachman. 

*Deputy  mayors. 


THE  PAPER  MILL.  285 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

THE  PAPER  MILL. 

As  WANDA  drove  up  to  the  paper-mill,  Matcha  ran 
down  to  receive  her. 

"  Come  in,  come  in,  dear  Wanda!  "  she  said.  "  Chabert 
is  here,  and  several  others.  Make  haste;  the  workmen 
will  be  coming  in  before  long,  and  we  do  not  want  them 
to  see  us." 

They  ran  up  a  narrow,  dirty  little  staircase  to  the  su- 
perintendent's office.  Several  men  were  sitting  around 
a  table  in  the  middle  of  the  room;  and  lying  on  a  sofa 
was  a  remarkably  beautiful  woman.  She  was  not  young, 
for  her  hair  was  white  as  snow;  but  her  face  and  figure 
were  superb. 

As  soon  as  Wanda  entered  she  jumped  up  and  threw 
her  arms  around  her,  exclaiming: 

"  My  daughter!  my  child!  " 

Wanda  could  hardly  speak.     Presently  she  said: 

"How  could  you  be  so  imprudent  as  to  come  here?" 

UI  could  not  stay  away  from  you  any  longer,"  replied 
Princess  Alexandra. 

In  a  few  moments  Wanda  looked  around  her,  and  re- 
cognized Litzanoff  and  Padlewsky,  although  both  of  them 
were  disguised. 

"You  are  superb,  Litzanoff ! "  she  said;  "and  you  too, 
Padlewsky.  How  much  it  must  have  cost  you  two  to 
make  yourselves  so  hideous!  Where  is  Raymond?" 

"  He  will  be  here  soon,"  said  Matcha;  "  he  has  gone  to 
Krylow  to  get  a  carriage  for  use  in  case  you  make  up 
your  mind  to  run  away  to-night." 

"I  have  come  to  ask  your  opinion  about  this  matter," 
said  Wanda,  turning  to  Padlewsky. 

"  We  have  been  opposed  to  it  up  to  the  present  time, 
my  dear  Wanda,  because  it  might  damage  the  party  se- 
riously. Of  course  if  you  leave  your  father's  house  to 


286  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

join  the  socialists,  it  will  naturally  make  a  great  stir  in 
the  world,  and  we  shall  be  watched  much  more  closely 
than  ever.  Up  to  this  time  I  have  always  hoped  that  you 
would  be  able  to  bring  Prince  Stackelberg  over  to  us." 

"Prince  Stackelberg!  "  answered  the  Princess.  "He 
would  only  betray  us.  He  proposed  to  my  father  for  me 
yesterday;  and  when  he  hears  that  I  have  refused  him, 
he  will  never  forgive  me.  I  cannot  be  in  any  more  dan- 
ger among  the  socialists  than  I  am  now  in  my  own  fa- 
ther's house." 

"My  beloved  child!"  cried  Alexandra,  much  terrified, 
"  do  not  stay  another  day  under  that  tiger's  roof!  It  is  your 
mother  who  commands  you.  Remember  what  I  endured." 

She  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  Michael  and 
Koroleff.  Michael,  deathly  pale,  and  still  very  much  agi- 
tated, told  his  story. 

"O,  Michael!  Michael!  "  exclaimed  Alexandra.  "  If  he 
gets  you  in  his  power  again,  you  are  lost! " 

"  Undoubtedly,"  said  Koroleff.  "But  just  now  we  can- 
not leave  this  place.  Nobody  will  ever  suspect  us  of 
being  here.  While  the  soldiers  are  searching  all  over 
the  country,  we  had  better  stay  quietly  in  the  paper- 
mill." 

But  Alexandra  did  not  seem  satisfied,  and  was  evi- 
dently very  uneasy. 

"  At  any  rate,"  said  Michael,  "  I  can  only  make  my  es' 
cape  in  the  night.  It  would  be  too  dangerous  to  at- 
tempt it  in  the  day-time.  In  the  meanwhile,  tell  me,  my 
dear  Padlewsky,  what  news  have  you  from  Petersburg?  " 

Hardly  were  the  words  out  of  his  lips,  when  the  sound 
of  carriage-wheels  was  heard. 

Matcha  ran  to  the  window. 

"It  is  the  Prince!  "she  whispered,  "  and  two  soldiers 
with  him." 

"  There  may  be  no  cause  for  alarm,"  said  Wanda.  "  He 
has  come  to  speak  to  Zobolewsky  about  the  address  that 
the  workwomen  forwarded  him.  Go  down  at  once,  Zobo- 
lewsky, and  keep  him  from  coming  up.  Here  are  the 
workmen  now,  and  I  see  the  women  on  the  road." 


THE  PAPER  MILL.  287 

As  Zobolewsky  left  the  room,  he  said  to  Matcha,  "You 
know  you  can  get  out  through  the  store-room." 

For  seventeen  years,  Princess  Alexandra  had  not  set 
eyes  upon  her  husband.  She  cautiously  drew  near  the 
window,  and  looked  out. 

"Yes,  that  is  he  !  "  she  murmured;  "that  is  he — the 
barbarian  ! " 

And  as  she  looked,  this  is  the  sight  she  saw: 

The  soldiers  were  stationed  each  side  of  the  entrance 
to  the  paper-mill;  and  between  them,  with  a  whip  in  his 
hand,  stood  the  Prince.  As  each  workwoman  passed  by 
him,  she  received  a  blow  from  this  whip,  accompanied  by 
these  words: 

"  That  is  for  being  a    nihilist." 

"  We  are  not  nihilists,  Your  Excellency,"  they  said, 
one  after  another. 

"You  must  be  nihilists,"  he  answered,  "to  dare  send 
ma  such  an  address  as  I  received  from  you  yesterday." 

All  of  them  submitted  uncomplainingly  to  this  outrage, 
until  the  last  woman  came  up.  She  was  about  thirty 
years  old,  muscular,  and  very  thin. 

"I  have  five  children,  Your  Excellency,"  she  said, 
"  and  I  am  a  widow.  I  cannot  feed  them  and  clothe  them 
with  thirty-five  kopecks  a  day." 

"  That  is  nothing  to  me,"  answered  the  Prince.  "  Here 
are  some  roubles  for  your  children."  He  threw  several 
roubles  on  the  ground,  contemptuously. 

"Now,  pick  them  up;  but  you  shall  be  punished  like 
the  rest." 

The  woman  did  not  pick  them  up. 

She  drew  herself  up,  and  looked  straight  into  Prince 
Kryloff 's  eyes. 

"  I  a'm  not  a  beggar.  I  work  for  my  living.  I  want 
my  rights.  I  will  not  accept  alms." 

The  Prince  raised  his  whip;  the  woman  snatched  it 
from  him,  and  struck  him  smartly  with  it.  Then,  crossing 
her  arms,  with  a  fearless  voice  and  gesture,  she  said: 

"  Now  you  can  do  what  you  choose;  I  am  avenged  !  " 

The  Prince  seized  her,  threw  her  down,  and   literally 


288  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

trampled  her  under  his  feet.  She  never  uttered  a  cry 
nor  a  complaint,  but.  all  the  time  she  uttered  curses  upon 
her  master.  The  two  soldiers  looked  on,  unmoved. 

"Arrest  her,  and  lead  her  away  to  Krylow! "  ordered 
the  Prince. 

Zobolewsky  wished  to  interpose.  "Are  you  one  of 
them  also?"  inquired  the  Prince,  looking  at  him  angrily. 

Prince  Kryloff  thought  he  heard  a  low  murmur  among 
the  operatives.  "Stop,"  said  he;  "fasten  her  to  the  rail- 
ing, and  come  with  me;  you  must  search  the  mill." 

"  I  assure  Your  Excellency  you  will  find  nothing,"  said 
Zobolewsky.  "  I  will  answer  for  my  men  with  my  head;" 
but  as  he  spoke  his  voice  trembled  slightly,  and  the 
Prince  detected  it. 

"  Your  head  is  very  unsafe,  I  think,"  said  he. 

"Do  you  suspect  me,  Your  Excellency?" 

"  Not  more  than  any  one  else.  I  suspect  everybody. 
Go  ahead,  I  will  follow  you." 

Just  then  four  more  soldiers  arrived,  under  the  charge 
of  a  captain,  who  went  up  to  the  Prince. 

"Your  Excellency,  there  are  nihilists  hidden  here.  We 
have  received  news  that  three  of  their  leaders  left  Krylow 
in  the  night  for  your  paper-mill.  I  am  obliged  to  insti- 
tute a  search." 

The  Prince  turned  to  Zobolewsky.  "What  do  you 
think  of  this?  "  he  asked. 

Zobolewsky  answered  with  perfect  coolness:  "  I  mere- 
ly wish  to  clear  myself.  If  there  are  nihilists  in  the 
mill,  I  shall  be  the  first  to  give  them  up.  But  how  are 
they  to  get  in  here  without  my  knowing  it?  I  will  go 
up-stairs  and  get  my  keys,  and  open  every  place  for  you 
myself." 

He  turned  to  go  up  the  steps,  when  the  captain  called 
him  back;  but  Zobolewsky  pretended  not  to  hear,  and 
ran  on  into  his  office.  Litzanoff  and  Koroleff  had 
dragged  away  a  heavy  book-case  which  stood  in  front  of 
a  door  leading  to  the  store-room,  and  Koroleff  was  just 
going  to  open  it,  as  Zobolewsky  appeared. 

"  Not   yet,    not  yet!  "  he    whispered.     "  The  door  is 


THE  PAPER  MILL. 


hidden  on  the  other  side  by  the  wall-paper.  I  am  going 
to  take  them  first  through  the  store-rooms.  They  have 
come  to  search  the  mill.  Don't  open  the  door  until  we 
have  left  the  next  room.  Then,  Matcha,  put  the  book- 
case back  before  the  door,  and  go  into  the  work-room. 
Don't  make  any  noise." 

He  ran  down  stairs;  in  a  few  moments  they  heard  the 
heavy  tread  of  the  soldiers. 

In  passing  in  front  of  the  superintendent's  office, 
Prince  Kryloff  asked:  "  What  door  is  this?  " 

Michael,  Wanda  and  Alexandra  recognized  that  voice; 
and  they  trembled. 

"  I  will  open  it  in  one  moment,  Your  Excellency;  but 
we  are  going  into  the  store-rooms  first. 

He  entered  the  room  next  his  office,  the  soldiers  and 
the  Prince  following  him.  This  room  held  the  reams  of 
paper,  ready  for  use,  piled  up  in  some  places  as  high  as 
the  ceiling. 

"  If  the  captain  desires  it,  I  will  call  the  men  to  move 
this  paper." 

"Are  there  no  closets?"  questioned  the  captain, 
sounding  the  walls  with  the  handle  of  his  sword. 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  Prince.     "  There  are  no  closets." 

"  Then,"  said  Zobolewsky,  loud  enough  for  Matcha  to 
hear,  "  we  can  go  into  the  next  room,  where  the  second- 
quality  paper  is  stored;  then  into  the  drying-room,  then 
into  the  folding-room,  and  so  we  shall  come  back  to  our 
starting-point.  Afterwards  we  can  visit  my  room  and  my 
foreman's  room." 

As  soon  as  they  went  out,  Matcha  pushed  the  door;  the 
paper  on  the  other  side  gave  way,  and  they  entered  the 
store-room.  Matcha  then  closed  the  door  behind  them, 
pushed  the  book-case  into  its  place,  and  went  down  stairs 
to  the  work-room. 

Having  gone  through  every  place,  the  Prince  found 
himself,  for  the  second  time,  standing  in  front  of  he  door 
that  Zobolewsky  had  not  allowed  him  to  enter.  It  had 
been  locked,  and  now  it  stood  open.  He  said  nothing, 
but  he  watched. 
19 


290  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

They  walked  into  the  room  lately  occupied  by  Matcha 
and  the  rest,  and  the  captain  began  examining  the  books 
in  the  book-case.  Zobolewsky  was  very  nervous,  opening 
and  shutting  the  drawers,  and  trying  to  hurry  them 
away. 

"Why  was  this  door  locked  a  few  minutes  ago?"  said 
the  Prince. 

"  I  suppose  my  wife  was  dressing  herself." 

Suddenly  the  Prince  cried  out: 

"  Move  that  book-case  aside!  Don't  you  see  those  cob- 
webs on  the  floor?  It  has  been  pushed  there  for  some 
purpose.  Arrest  this  man — he  is  an  accomplice!" 

The  soldiers  immediately  seized  him  to  carry  him  off. 

"No,"  said  the  Prince;  "tie  his  hands,  but  do  not  go 
away;  there  are  but  five  of  you,  and  there  are  probably 
ten  of  them." 

Turning  to  Zobolewsky,  he  continued:  "Now  that  all 
is  discovered,  speak:  Who  is  here?" 

"  No  one  that  I  know  of,  unless  they  have  been  brought 
here  in  my  absence." 

"You  lie!  Look  at  yourself  in  that  mirror!  You  are 
as  white  as  a  sheet ! "'' 

They  drew  the  book-case  aside,  and  there  stood  the 
door  wide  open. 

Zobolewsky,  as  quick  as  lightning,  drew  his  keys  from 
his  pocket,  and  with  all  his  might  threw  them  through 
the  opening  into  the  store-room. 

"  My  friends  !  "  he  cried,  "escape  !  " 

Those  words  were  his  death-sentence. 

"  Seize  him,  and  fall  upon  them  !  "  cried  the  Prince. 
"  Two  of  you  go  round  to  the  door  of  the  store-room  and 
kill  them  there." 

But  in  the  meanwhile  they  had  been  busy  at  work  in 
the  store-room,  and  had  built  up  two  breast-works  of 
paper. 

Unfortunately  the  keys  fell  just  between  these  two 
ramparts.  Koroleff,  who  was  as  nimble  as  a  monkey, 
crept  between  the  two  piles  ;  but  just  as  he  seized  the 
keys,  the  first  pile  fell  down  on  him.  Litzanoff  fired 


THE  PAPER  MILL.  291 

upon  the  soldiers.  The  captain  fell;  another  man  was 
wounded. 

Koroleff  had  crept  out,  and  was  struggling  hand-to- 
hand  with  the  third  soldier. 

Raymond,  Padlewsky  and  Michael  were  protecting  the 
women.  Raymond  was  armed  with  a  revolver. 

"  Come  on  to  the  door  ! "  cried  Koroleff ;  "  I  have  the 
keys." 

"  No,  no !  do  not  go  out ! "  screamed  Zobolewsky. 
"  The  door  is  guarded  !  "  But  Koroleff,  with  a  mighty 
effort,  freeing  himself  from  his  antagonist,  drew  a  dagger 
from  his  belt  and  smote  his  enemy  dead. 

The  Prince  called  for  the  two  men  who  were  guarding 
the  entrance  to  the  store-room. 

"You  can  go  !  "  cried  Zobolewsky;  "the  door  is  free." 

The  Prince  raised  his  pistol  and  fired  at  Zobolewsky  ; 
the  weapon  was  not  loaded. 

Koroleff  was  wounded,  but  he  still  fought  bravely.  He 
managed  to  plunge  his  dagger  into  the  body  of  the  fourth 
soldier.  But  one  remained. 

The  Prince  called  for  the  two  others,  whom  he  had  left 
below;  they  did  not  hear  him,  and  he  rushed  down  after 
them. 

"  Quick  !  quick  ! "  cried  Zobolewsky.  u  The  Prince 
will  soon  return  with  reinforcements.  Do  not  lose  a 
minute  !  Go  into  the  other  store-room.  Raymond,  Litz- 
anoff  and  I  can  stop  anybody  that  comes." 

At  this  moment  the  Prince  entered  the  work-room. 
The  machines  were  all  going;  the  air  was  filled  with  their 
noise,  buzzing,  humming,  beating,  whistling.  No  sound 
of  the  tumult  above  could  be  heard  down  there. 

The  workmen  with  their  shirts  tucked  into  their  belts, 
the  women  in  their  faded  cotton  gowns,  were  hurrying 
past  one  another  in  the  court-yard.  The  Prince  put  his 
head  out  of  a  window  and  called  aloud:  "  Murder  !  mur- 
der !  "  but  no  one  appeared  to  hear  him.  They  all  seemed 
deaf.  Matcha  had  told  them  what  to  do.  The  Prince 
ran  down  and  seized  one  of  them  by  the  arm  :  "  Why 
don't  you  answer  me  when  I  call  you." 


292  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Were  you  calling  me,  Your  Excellency?  " 

"  They  are  murdering  the  soldiers  up  there  !" 

"  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  soldiers.  I  am  not 
paid  to  defend  the  soldiers." 

At  that  moment,  Matcha  came  flying  into  the  yard. 
"  Come  up  stairs  !  they  are  murdering  Zobolewsky  ! ' 

Instantly,  they  all  rushed  to  protect  their  superintend- 
ent, whom  they  adored. 

Kryloff  understood  that  his  life  was  in  danger.  He 
went  to  look  for  his  carriage. 

"  They  are  all  nihilists — every  one  of  them,"  he  re- 
peated. "Did  not  you  hear  me,  Joseph,  just  now,  when 
I  was  calling  for  help?" 

"  I  heard  nothing,  Your  Excellency;  I  was  asleep,"  said 
the  coachman.  "  You  made  me  get  up  so  early  this 
morning." 

"You  lie!" 

Joseph  looked  frightened. 

And  this  servant  whom  he  trusted  was  deceiving  him, 
too! 

As  he  drove  away  he  met  Katia,  who  had  walked  all 
the  way  from  the  Federoffs.  The  Prince  stopped  the 
carriage. 

"Where  is  Wanda?" 

"  I  suppose  she  is  at  home." 

"You  lie,  you  miserable  creature!  I  saw  you  go  out 
together.  Where  are  you  going  now?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  the  mill." 

"What  for?" 

"  To  see  my  friend  Matcha." 

"And  your  friend  Zobolewsky?" 

"  Yes,  Your  Excellency." 

"  She  is  a  nihilist,  too  !  ....  Listen  to  me,  Katia;  do 
you  want  to  make  two  hundred  roubles?  If  you  do,  tell 
me  where  Wanda  is." 

"  I  think,  Your  Excellency,  that  she  must  be  at  home, 
unless  she  has  gone  out  to  take  a  walk,  as  she  very  often 
does  in  the  early  morning." 

"  You  impudent  liar  ! "  roared  the  Prince;  and  snatch- 


THE  PAPER  MILL.  293 

ing  the  whip  from  Joseph's  hand  he  struck  Katia  with  it 
across  the  face. 

"  I  will  know  the  truth,  and  if  I  find  out  that  you  are 
deceiving  me,  too,  I  will  have  you  whipped  until  I  see  the 
blood  come."  He  drove  off. 

Katia  walked  on  to  the  mill.  She  found  her  friends 
in  a  great  state  of  excitement,  all  talking  together.  They 
wanted  Wanda  to  take  refuge  in  flight,  but  she  would  not. 

"I  must  go  home  first,"  she  said,  "and  look  over  my 
papers  and  letters;  some  of  them  must  be  destroyed.  I 
will  go  away  to-night.  Katia  and  I  will  be  at  the  lower 
garden  gate  to-night,  and  Raymond  and  Koroleff  must  be 
there  to  meet  us." 

"What  am  I  to  do?"  implored  Litzanoff. 

"  You  must  go  with  Padlewsky  and  Michael  and  my 
mother;  they  need  you  to  protect  them." 

On  the  road  back  to  the  cottage,  Katia  told  the  Princess 
of  the  interview  with  her  father. 

"Oh,  well,"  answered  Wanda,  "  we  shall  get  home  be- 
fore he  does;"  and  she  turned  her  light  vehicle  into  a 
rough  road  which  crossed  the  woods,  and  at  the  risk  of 
breaking  her  carriage,  arrived  at  the  cottage  some  time 
before  her  father. 

He  came  after  awhile,  and  instantly  attacked  the  two 
karavouluays. 

"  Where  is  the  Princess?  "  he  inquired. 

"  She  is  in  the  house,  Your  Excellency." 

"  Has  'nt  she  been  out?  " 

"  No,  Your  Excellency." 

"Hasn't  Katia  been  out?" 

"No,    Your  Excellency." 

The  Prince  put  his  hands  up  to  his  head. 

"  I  see,"  he  cried,  "  I  see  they  are  all  against  me," 
and  turning  away,  he  walked  rapidly  towards  Stackel- 
berg's  bedroom,  and  entering  unceremoniously,  related 
to  him  the  events  of  the  past  four  hours.  It  was  yet  only 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Stackelberg  watched  the  Prince  as  he  told  his  strange 
story,  and  wondered  if  he  could  be  in  his  right  mind. 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


"I  see,"  said  he  to  Vassili,  "that  you  think  I  am  in- 
sane. I  am  not,  I  assure  you.  As  you  have  discretion- 
ary powers,  you  must  act;  and  at  once.  Telegraph  to 
Heyking,  the  Chief  of  Police  at  Kieff." 

"How  many  operatives  have  you  in  the  mill?" 

"  Three  hundred  men  and  two  hundred  women." 

"Five  hundred!"  exclaimed  Stackelberg.  "I  shall 
ask  Heyking  for  a  squadron  of  infantry  to  arrest  them 
and  take  them  to  Kieff;  there  is  no  prison  in  this  neigh- 
borhood large  enough  to  hold  them.  I  will  go  to  Krylow 
at  once,  and  attend  to  it." 

"Give  especial  orders  for  the  arrest  of  Michael  Feder- 
off  and  his  entire  family." 

"  Very  well,  I  will,"  said  Stackelberg. 

"Be  sure  you  don't  fail  me,"  added  Kryloff;  "without 
you  my  fete  would  not  be  a  success." 

"  Are  you  still  going  to  have  it?  What  answer  has  the 
Princess  given  you  about  me?  Has  she  said  anything?" 

"We  will  speak  about  it  when  you  come  back." 

"Has  the  Princess  refused  me?" 

"  She  has  asked  for  two  days  in  which  to  make  up  her 
mind." 

As  Stackelberg  was  on  the  road  to  Krylow,  he  met  sev- 
eral of  the  Prince's  guests  on  their  way  to  the  house. 
Among  them  he  recognized  Alexis  Verenine. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


THE   ENGAGEMENT. 


WHEN  Wanda  reached  home,  she  felt  perfectly  ex- 
hausted. She  threw  herself  down  on  her  bed,  all  dressed 
as  she  was,  and  fell  fast  asleep. 

It  was  hip-h  noon  when  she  awoke.  She  heard  the 
rolling  of  carriages  and  the  sound  of  many  voices  and  of 


THE  ENGAGEMENT.  295 

merry  laughter.     She  arose  with   a  start,   remembering 
that  it  was  the  morning  of  her  father's /e^e. 

Katia  came  to  her  bedside  and  handed  her  a  letter  that 
had  arrived  during  her  sleep.  It  was  from  Nadege,  and 
ran  as  follows: 

"  MY  DEAR  WANDA  :  I  am  at  Kieff.  I  have  come 
here  to  be  near  you  and  to  hear  something  about  Stepane. 
I  have  been  very  ill;  his  desertion  of  me  nearly  killed 
me.  I  am  stopping  at  Countess  Kousmines;  you  know 
she  is  a  very  dear  friend  of  mine.  To  my  astonishment, 
I  have  discovered  that  she  is  a  socialist;  she  tells  me  that 
all  the  young  people  in  this  town  are  of  the  same  way  of 
thinking.  I  hope  to  see  you  soon,  when  I  shall  be  able  to 
tell  you  more.  "  Your  best  friend, 

"  NADEGE. 

"  If  Stepane  is  at  your  house,  speak  about  me  to  him; 
but  do  not  tell  him  where  I  am.  I  do  not  intend  again 
to  burden  him  with  my  presence,  unless  he  desires  it." 

"  Poor  Nadege  !  "  sighed  Wanda.  "  Why  can  I  not 
give  her  back  her  husband's  heart?" 

"  Is  Countess  Kousmine  General  Kousmine's  wife?" 
asked  Katia.  "  If  she  is,  we  can  go  to  her  house  when 
we  arrive  at  Kieff;  no  one  will  suspect  the  General  of 
harboring  socialists." 

"That  is  a  capital  idea,"  answered  Wanda;  "I  will 
write  to  Nadege  at  once,  and. ..." 

She  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  a  footman,  with 
a  note.  It  was  from  Raymond. 

"  The  inquisitor  is  at  work.  The  paper-mill  has  been 
evacuated.  There  has  been  a  fight  between  the  opera- 
tives and  the  soldiery;  several  are  killed  and  wounded. 
A  company  of  soldiers  is  stationed  at  the  village;  they 
have  placed  sentinels  around  the  mill.  The  Federoffs 
are  arrested.  Akoulina  is  entirely  alone,  dying.  No  one 
dares  go  near  her.  Michael  begs  you  to  send  her  assist- 
ance. D>>  you  think  it  will  be  prudent  for  us  to  make  our 
escape  to-night?" 


296  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Wanda  read  this  note,  and  then  sat  for  several  minutes 
lost  in  thought;  her  face  glowed  with  indignation,  her 
bosom  heaved  with  rage.  At  last  she  took  a  pen,  and 
wrote  these  words  rapidly,  in  French: 

"  Nothing  is  changed  in  my  plans.  Come  for  me  at 
midnight." 

"It  took  me  some  time  to  decide,"  she  said  to  Katia; 
"  but  now  my  determination  is  fixed." 

The  servant  had  hardly  left  the  room  with  the  note  be- 
fore her  father  entered. 

"What  are  you  doing,  Wanda?"  he  said;  "our  guests 
have  all  arrived,  and  you  are  not  even  dressed  yet." 

"  I  have  been  thinking  very  hard,  my  father,  and  I  have 
made  up  my  mind." 

"About  what?" 

"  I  have  made  up  my  mind  that  you  can  announce  my 
engagement  to  Prince  Vassili  Stackelberg." 

"  Are  you  in  earnest,  my  daughter?  " 

"You  never  believed  that  I  was  really  married  to  Ray- 
mond Ohabert,  did  you?  I  only  wanted  to  frighten  you, 
and  to  cure  you  of  your  horrid  habit  of  spying  me.  I 
hope  you  will  forgive  me  now,  in  consideration  of  my 
present  determination." 

"You  have  given  me  a  great  deal  of  pain,  Wanda,  but 
I  forgive  you  everything,"  and  he  pressed  her  to  his  heart. 
"  My  dear  daughter,  let  us  have  no  more  quarrels!  I 
give  you  my  word  of  honor,  I  will  not  suspect  you  any 
more." 

"  Confess,"  said  Wanda,  laughing,  "  that  you  are  glad 
to  hand  me  over  to  some  one  else,  who  will  spare  you  all 
trouble;  I  think  Stackelberg  is  both  jealous  and  sus- 
picious." 

The  Prince  left  Wanda's  room,  beaming  with  delight. 
He  was  in  such  a  good  temper  that  he  received  his 
guests  in  that  fine  manner  which  gave  him  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  most  elegant  gentleman  of  his  day. 

At  four  o'clock  Stackeiberg  returned.  "Now,"  said 
he,  "we  can  enjoy  ourselves  in  peace ;  the  country  is  quiet." 

"Well,  Vassili  Antonvitch,"   returned    Prince  Kryloff 


THE  ENGAGEMENT.  297 

"you  shall  have  your  reward.  My  daughter  consents  to 
marry  you,  and  I  am  the  happiest  man  in  Russia." 

"  Is  that  really  so?  "  asked  Vassili,  violently  agitated. 

"  Yes;  I  am  going  to  announce  your  engagement  to- 
day." 

In  a  few  moments  after  this  conversation,  dinner  was 
served.  It  was  as  magnificent  as  the  Russian  feasts 
proverbially  are;  but  superb  as  it  was,  it  was  as  nothing 
compared  to  the  entertainment  that  the  Prince  had  pro- 
vided for  the  evening  of  that  memorable  day. 

The  night  was  warm;  the  air  heavy  with  spring  odors; 
the  moon  shone  but  fitfully,  one  moment  lighting  up  the 
scene  with  silvery  splendor,  then  casting  over  all  her 
dreamy  shadows.  A  band  of  gypsy  musicians,  hid  among 
a  clump  of  trees,  gave  to  the  air  their  weird  and  unfa- 
miliar music.  The  brilliantly  attired  guests  wandered 
through  the  park,  which  was  lighted  by  colored  lanterns. 
It  was  a  dream  of  fairyland.  The  waters  of  the  Dnieper 
caught  the  many-colored  lights,  and  reflected  them  back 
with  shimmering  brilliance. 

Wanda  was  charming.  She  went  from  one  group  to  the 
other,  laughing,  talking,  bewitching  them  all  by  her 
beauty,  her  grace,  and  her  wit.  Her  father  was  watching 
her  anxiously  ;  she  seemed  unnatural  to  him;  her  laugh 
sounded  forced;  her  eyes  looked  feverish. 

It  was  eleven  o'clock,  and  the  Prince  had  ordered  a 
beautiful  display  of  fireworks  to  commence.  Wanda 
was  lean  ing  on  Stackelberg's  arm. 

"  How  can  I  thank  you?  "  he  whispered. 

"  I  wished  to  reward  you,"  she  answered,  with  a  co- 
quettish smile,  "for  the  zeal  you  have  displayed  against 
the  socialists." 

"  It  is  a  perfect  miracle  that  the  Prince's  life  was 
spared,"  said  Stackelberg. 

"  What  a  magnificent  report  you  will  have  to  send  in, 
Vassili !  You  have  a  brilliant  future  before  you." 

"Say,  rather,  we  have,  dear  Wanda  ;  you  will  share  all 
my  labors  and  all  my  glory." 

They  were  sending  up   some  blue    lights  ;  and  at  that 


298  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

moment  the  unearthly  glare  enveloped  them  as  with  a 
halo.  Wanda  wore  a  strange  costume  that  night  ;  it 
was  made  of  steel-grey  satin  and  red  velvet ;  the  front 
was  of  grey,  laid  in  fine  plaits  ;  it  looked  like  a  coat  of 
mail.  In  the  midst  of  the  light  from  the  fire-works,  the 
red  of  the  dress  resembled  a  lambent  flame.  Wanda 
herself,  pale  and  dark,  with  a  mocking  smile  upon  her 
lips,  might  have  been  taken  for  a  rebellious  angel. 

There  was  a  murmur  of  admiration  among  the  guests, 
breaking  out  at  last  into  applause. 

"  How  superb  !  How  wonderful !  Bravo  !  Hurrah 
for  the  fair  Beelzebub  !  " 

"•You  are  beautiful,"  said  Stackelberg,  "  but  you  are 
terrible.  If  I  did  not  love  you  as  I  do,  I  should  fear 
you." 

"  You  ought  to  fear  me.  I  think  it  will  take  a  very 
brave  man  to  marry  me." 

"  I  am  a  brave  man,  I  hope.     Don't  you  think  so  ?  " 

"Yes rather." 

"What  do  you  mean  ?"  said  Vassili. 

"I  remember  a  circumstance  in  which  you  did  not 
show  yourself  particularly  courageous." 

"  Please  tell  me  what  that  was." 

"Do  you  remember  the  time  you  challenged  Litz- 
anoff?" 

"  I  do." 

"The  duel  never  came  off,  did  it  ?" 

"  Litzanoff  was  arrested,  and  since  that  we  have  never 
met ;  but  if  you  wish  me  to  fight  him,  1  will  try  and  find 
out  where  he  is." 

"  He  has  gone  to  Monte  Carlo,  I  believe,"  said  Wanda, 
carelessly. 

"  He  was  in  love  with  you,  and  I  Avas  jealous  of  him  ; 
and " 

"You  had  him  imprisoned!"  exclaimed  Wanda,  ex- 
citedly. 

"  I  ?  What  makes  you  think  that  ?  I  swear  to  you " 

"There  is  no -use  of  swearing,  Prince  Stackelberg. 
You  only  did  your  duty.  The  poor  fool  was  a  nihi.ist, 


THE  ENGAGEMENT.  299 

or  something  very  much  like  it. ...  But  I  feel  cold;  let  us 
go  into  the  house." 

They  walked  together  as  far  as  the  entrance  of  the 
large  drawing-room.  Wanda  drew  her  hand  away  from 
Vassili's  arm,  and  leaned  against  the  side  of  the  door. 
Around  her  hung  a  portiere  of  Karamania's  loom — a 
mingled  tissue  of  black  and  red. 

Several  gentlemen  were  in  the  room,  discussing  the 
political  situation.  They  were  interested  and  animated, 
representing  the  different  shades  of  opinion  among  the 
higher  classes  of  Russia.  One  of  them,  a  small,  elderly 
man,  pleaded  the  cause  of  the  people,  although  at  the 
same  time  praising  the  Czar  ;  another  ardently  desired 
reform,  but  dreaded  a  revolution  ;  another  maintained 
that  religion  alone,  and  its  adoption  by  the  masses,  could 
set  the  country  right. 

"  The  common  people,"  said  Stackelberg,  "must  have 
religion.  It  is  a  necessity  to  them  in  the  hard  lives  they 
lead." 

"  Do  you  acknowledge,"  broke  in  Wanda,  "  that  the 
common  people  do  lead  a  hard  life?  " 

4i  Of  course  I  do;  it  is  very  evident,"  he  replied. 

"  But  what  does  your  Government  do  for  them  ?  "  contin- 
ued she.  '  Every  man  for  himself  and  the  devil  take 
the  hindmost ! '  that  is  your  motto;  and  then  you  are  as- 
tonished at  the  existence  of  the  nihilists.  I  am  only  as- 
tonished that  the  Government  holds  together  as  well  as 
it  does." 

"Take  care,  Wanda  Petrowna!"  said  Stackelberg, 
laughing,  "people  will  say  you  are  a  nihilist  yourself  !  " 

Wanda  walked  forward  until  she  had  reached  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room.  Her  long  red  train  glided  like  a  ser- 
pent behind  her;  the  steely  satin  seemed  moulded  to  her 
breast;  on  her  arms  great  rubies,  set  in  steel,  sent  forth 
their  darting  light;  upon  her  breast  a  ruby  lizard  held  a 
spray  of  scarlet  flowers. 

She  was  dazzling;  her  costume  fairly  glittered;  but, 
above  all,  shone  her  great  dark  eyes. 

She  stood  before  them  all,  and  without  a  shade  of  fear, 
she  spoke : 


300  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Gentlemen,  I  am  a  socialist.  I  can  hide  it  no  longer. 
I  wish  to  overturn  this  Asiatic  government.  'Zemlia  y 
Volia!"1 — that  is  my  motto.  Down  with  all  governments 
— royal,  imperial,  autocratic,  whatever  yoii  may  call  them! 
I  am  a  revolutionist !  Down  with  the  nobles  !  Down 
with  the  infamous  secret  police,  which  arrests,  tortures, 
and  exiles  every  noble  creature  in  Russia  !  Away  with 
the  hateful  Third  Section,  of  whom  Mister  Vassili  Stack- 
elberg  is  the  fit  representative  1  " 

She  waved  her  hand  towards  him  with  a  gesture  of  the 
most  superb  disdain. 

Stackelberg's  eyes  almost  started  from  his  head. 
Every  one  thought  himself  dreaming. 

"  Yes, "  resumed  Wanda,  "  1  am  for  the  free  federa- 
tion of  all  working  corporations.  I  desire  that  the  work- 
man shall  receive  the  proceeds  of  his  work  ;  I  desire  that 
capital  shall  not  receive  all  the  benefits  of  labor ;  I  de- 
sire the  complete  renovation  of  society 

Now,  Mister  Stackelberg,  you,  who  understand  the  sys- 
tem of  arrests,  why  do  you  not  arrest  me  ?  Do  you  still 
desire  to  unite  your  fate  with  mine  ?  " 

The  gentlemen  in  the  room  looked  at  one  another. 
Vassili  could  neither  speak  nor  move  ;  he  vaguely  un- 
derstood that  something  fearful  was  taking  place. 

Prince  KrylofF,  delighted  with  the  success  of  his  enter- 
tainment, just  then  wandered  aimlessly  into  the  draw- 
ing-room, and  looking  around,  suddenly  became  aware 
Hint  there  was  something  wrong. 

"  What  have  you  been  saying,  Wanda,  to  shock  our 
'guests  ?"  he  asked. 

"  I  have  been  telling  them  that  I  am  a  socialist ;  and 
that  you,  Prince  Kryloff,  have  made  me  one  ! — you,  who 
grind  the  poor  to  the  earth,  who  oppress  the  weak,  who 
beat  your  servants  as  if  they  were  dogs.  And  what 
difference  is  there  between  you  and  them  ?  The  lowest 
of  them  is  better  than  you,  for  he  has  never  committed  the 
crimes  you  have.  This  very  morning  you  have  been 
beating  the  poor  women  who  asked  you  for  a  few  ko- 
pecks to  buy  bread  for  their  children  ;  you  trampled  one 


FLIGHT  301 

woman  under  your  feet  because  she  dared  to  reason  with 
you.  There  are  laws  in  Russia,  but  there  are  no  judges 
brave  enough  to  enforce  them.  So  I  will  judge  you  !  I 
will  pronounce  sentence  upon  you  !" 

She  crossed  the  room  with  unfaltering  step,  and  left  it 
unhindered. 

The  Prince  had  already  passed  through  too  much  for 
his  strength  that  day.  As  he  listened  to  his  daughter,  a 
mist  passed  before  his  eyes.  He  tried  to  speak  ;  he  tried 
to  go  to  her  and  force  her  to  be  silent ;  but  his  knees 
bent  beneath  him  ;  his  tongue  clove  to  the  roof  of  his 
mouth. 

Wanda's  last  words  overpowered  him.  His  face  be- 
came purple  ;  his  eye-lids  twitched  convulsively  ;  his 
eye-balls  rolled  in  their  sockets  like  a  maniac's,  and  then 
glared  before  them  with  frightful  fixedness.  He  tottered, 
and  with  a  cry  of  "  Stop  her  !  stop  her  ! "  he  fell  to  the 
earth. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

FLIGHT. 

No  ONE  dared  to  stop  "Wanda. 

The  night  had  grown  dark;  rain  was  falling,  and  light- 
ning darted  through  the  heavens;  the  guests,  with  flying 
feet,  were  seeking  shelter. 

Calm,  stately  as  a  goddess,  Princess  Wanda  walked 
through  her  father's  halls.  She  was  pale  as  death. 

Verenine  crossed  her  path.  She  held  out  her  hand  and 
took  his,  pressing  it  affectionately.  "  Farewell,"  she 
said. 

"Where  are  you  going,  Wanda?  What  ails  you?  Are 
you  ill?  Are  they  forcing  you  to  marry  this  German?" 

"I  shall  not  marry  him,"  she  replied;  "I  am  going 
away." 


302  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"Where?" 

"  To  Siberia,  perhaps." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  Wanda,  if  you  will  let  me." 

"  I  will  not  let  you.     Good-bye." 

They  had  reached  the  vestibule.  She  wrapped  herself 
in  a  large  water-proof  cloak. 

The  storm  was  raging,  the  rain  beating  against  the 
window-panes.  She  had  on  a  little  pair  of  steel-gray 
satin  slippers,  fastened  with  bows  of  red  velvet. 

"  Wait  one  moment,  Wanda;  you  will  get  your  feet 
wet." 

"  Oh,  no  matter,"  she  answered. 

But  Verenine,  to  her  astonishment,  took  her  up  in  his 
arms,  and  bore  her  through  the  driving  storm  to  her  own 
cottage. 

"I  really  did  not  think  you  were  so  strong,"  said 
Wanda,  laughing.  "You  might  be  of  some  use  to  us." 

"  Shall  I  go  with  you?  "  he  asked,  anxiously. 

"  No,  not  now.  But  meet  me  at  Kieff  the  day  after  to- 
morrow, at  Countess  Kousmine's.  See  that  you  tell  no 
one  where  I  shall  be." 

Everything  was  ready  for  her  flight.  She  put  on  her 
dark  traveling-dress — her  wedding-dress.  Then  she  un- 
fastened her  hair,  and  let  it  fall  in  all  its  beauty  upon  her 
shoulders.  It  touched  the  ground. 

"Cut  it  off,  Katia,"  she  said.  Katia  hesitated,  and 
Wanda,  impatiently  taking  up  the  scissors,  began  the 
work  of  destruction. 

"It  is  no  time  now,  Katia,"  she  said,  "for  sentimental 
nonsense.  .  Cut  it  off,  and  be  done  with  it." 

It  was  soon  over.  A  red  wig  was  placed  upon  her 
head,  and  a  pair  of  blue  spectacles  upon  her  nose.  Then, 
clothing  herself  in  her  waterproof  and  a  large  bonnet,  she 
went  out  into  the  storm. 

It  was  midnight.  They  reached  the  park  gate  unmo- 
lested. A  kibitka*  was  awaiting  them,  drawn  by  five 
spirited  ponies.  Two  men  were  seated  in  the  carriage; 
one  held  the  horses.  It  was  Koroleff. 

*  A  covered  carriage. 


FLIGHT.  303 

Waft  da  recognized  Litzanoff  seated  by  the  side  of 
Chabert. 

"  Here  you  are,  all  three,"  she  said. 

"Yes,  Federoff  has  arranged  it  all,"  answered  Stepane. 
"  He  thinks  we  had  better  come  with  you,  as  we  may  be 
attacked." 

"Where  are  we  all  to  meet  again?" 

"  At  Kieff — at  Mentikoff,  the  printer's;  Raymond  has 
bought  these  horses,  so  that  we  shall  not  have  to  stop  at 
the  post-houses." 

They  got  into  the  carriage;  Koroleff  mounted  in  front, 
and  they  drove  off  at  a  furious  pace.  They  had  no  lug- 
gage. Katia  held  on  her  knees  a  little  trunk  containing 
Wanda's  jewels  and  a  large  sum  of  money.  Otherwise 
they  were  unencumbered.  What  good  would  trunks  of 
fine  clothes  do  them? — to  them,  entering  now  upon  the 
apostle's  life,  a  life  without  rest,  without  peace  ? 

The -rain  was  over;  the  wind  had  risen  and  was  sweep- 
ing over  the  country  furiously.  It  was  still  very  dark, 
lighted  only  occasionally  by  the  fierce  lightning  flashes. 

Our  four  travelers  sat  in  perfect  silence.  They  felt 
that  this  hour  was  the  turning-point  of  their  existence. 

Wanda  was  thinking.  Did  she  hesitate?  Did  she  fear? 
No;  but  she  felt  the  deepest  pity  for  her  father,  and  her 
heart  ached. 

"What  are  you  thinking  about,  Wanda?"  asked 
Katia. 

,  But  she  dared   not  speak   to  her  inflexible   friend  the 
thoughts  that  troubled  her. 

"  I  am  thinking  of  the  past,  and  also  of  the  future,"  she 
replied. 

"  Do  you  regret  what  you  have  done?  " 

"  No." 

Gradually  the  storm  died  away;  and  the  two  young 
girls,  utterly  worn-out,  fell  asleep. 

They  were  entering  a  dark  wood,  when  they  heard  a 
pistol-shot  behind  them;  then  the  galloping  of  horses. 

"What  was  that?"  asked  Wanda,  waking  up. 

"  There  are  probably  soldiers  hidden  in  the  woods," 


304:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

answered  Litzanoff;  and  he  instantly  loaded  his  revolver, 
as  did  also  Raymond  and  Koroleff. 

A  second  shot  was  fired,  and  four  mounted  soldiers  sur- 
rounded the  kibitka. 

"Stop!  "  they  cried.  But  Koroleff  urged  his  horses  on. 
The  soldiers  struck  spurs  into  their  beasts,  rushed  past 
the  carriage,  and  fired  all  at  once.  One  of  the  horses  was 
shot  through  the  head;  the  others  galloped  madly  on  for 
a  few  minutes,  when  a  second  horse  fell.  Then  Koroleff 
stopped.  Litzanoff  and  Raymond  fired. 

Wanda  and  Katia  held  their  pistols  in  their  hands, 
loaded  and  ready  for  action. 

"Do  not  fire!"  said  Stepane.  "When  we  have  dis- 
charged our  revolvers,  you  can  hand  us  yours." 

Litzanoff  and  Raymond  fired  again. 

One  of  the  soldiers  fell  to  the  ground,  and  his  horse 
galloped  away. 

"  That  is  all  right, "  said  Litzanoff  ;  "  we  are  now  even  : 
three  against  three." 

Day  began  to  dawn  in  the  east,  and  dimly  lighted  their 
struggle. 

"  Lie  down  in  the  carriage  !  "  said  Litzanoff  to  the  two 
young  girls.  "We  have  wounded  the  second  man.  We 
shall  soon  get  the  better  of  the  other  two." 

"  Are  you  hit?  "  asked  Wanda. 

"  I  am  just  touched  on  the  shoulder." 

"  And  you,  Raymond  ?" 

As  she  spoke,  a  ball  struck  him  full  in  the  breast : 
Wanda  screamed  aloud. 

"That  is  a  woman's  voice,"  said  one  of  the  soldiers. 
"  They  are  here  !  " 

Raymond  tore  open  his  waistcoat  to  see  where  he  was 
wounded. 

"  There  is  n  -  harm  done, "  he  said  ;  "  the  ball  has  flat- 
tened itself  against  my  pocket-book." 

The  cover  of  the  kibitka  was  riddled  .  with  balls  ;  but 
they  had  not  touched  the  young  girls,  who  were  lying 
down  in  the  bottom  of  the  carriage. 

The  third  soldier's  horse  fell,  and  the  two   others,   be- 


FLIGHT.  305 

lieving  the  rebels  to  be  more  numerous  than  themselves, 
gave  up  the  fight,  and  galloped  off  in    the    direction    of 
Bielaja,  whose  cupolas  and  towers  could   now   be  faintly 
seen  in  the  distance. 

There  was,  however,  no  time  to  lose,  for  they  would 
certainly  soon  return  with  reinforcements. 

The  fugitives  got  out  of  the  carriage.  Koroleff  exam- 
ined the  beasts;  two  were  badly  wounded,  but  the  other 
three  could  be  driven. 

While  they  were  hitching  up  the  horses  again,  Katia  went 
to  see  if  the  two  soldiers  were  really  dead.  One  of  them 
still  breathed;  she  lifted  his  head,  and  he  opened  his  eyes. 

"Whom  are  you  looking  for?"  she  asked. 

'  The    nihilists  from  Krylow." 

'  What  orders  have  you  received  ?  " 

'  To  detain  every  carriage  going  from  Krylow  to  Kieff." 

*  And  to  shoot  the  travelers?  " 

'Yes,  if  they  resisted,"  he  added,  in  a  very  feeble 
voice.  "The  nihilists!  the  nihilists!  Djagguernot! * 
the  devils!  Holy  Virgin!  have  mercy  upon  me!" 

He  fell  back  insensible. 

Katie  took  two  pieces  of  paper  from  her  pocket,  and  on 
them  she  wrote  with  a  red  crayon  these  words: 

"  Killed  for  having fired upon  the  socialists!"  And  she 
pinned  these  two  slips  upon  the  coats  of  the  two  soldiers. 

Now  they  must  change  their  route  and  avoid  passing 
through  Bielaga.  So  they  plunged  into  the  woods.  At 
the  end  of  half  an  hour,  after  having  followed  a  road 
marked  only  by  notches  in  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  they 
reached  a  sort  of  clearing,  where  tall  pine  trees  with 
gleaming  trunks  pointed  their  trembling  spires  heaven- 
ward. Here  was  a  gypsy  camp,  and  two  jaded  horses 
were  browsing  upon  the  scanty  herbage. 

"I  have  an  idea,"  said  Wanda.  "Let us  exchange  our 
carriage  for  one  of  these  carts,  and  we  can  dress  as  gyp- 
sies. The  alarm  has  by  this  time  been  given  all  over  the 
country;  and  before  night  we  shall  probably  be  arrested, 
if  we  do  not  take  some  prompt  measures." 

*  Russian  oath. 

20 


306  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

They  all  quickly  accepted  her  proposal — as  did  like- 
wise the  poor  nomads,  when  they  saw  the  two  hundred 
roubles  that  she  offered  them. 

Katie  took  the  fortune-teller's  dress,  and  Wanda  the 
ballad-singer's.     She  wrapped  her  head  up  in  a  blue  cot- 
ton handkerchief,  put  a  gilt  necklace  round  her  neck,  and 
carried  a  guitar    in  her  hand.     Raymond,  Litzanoff,  and 
Koroloff  exchanged  their  clothes  for  the  gypsies'  rags, 
t     This  little  incident  amused  them,  and  so  they  pursued 
heir    journey,  avoiding   the   villages  and  hamlets;  and 
I  bout  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  they  stopped  at  a  lit- 
Je  tavern  where  Litzanoff  and  Koroleff  had  been  before. 

As  they  were  getting  out  of  the  kibitka,  two  gray- 
hoods*  poked  their  heads  out  of  the  inn-door,  and  exam- 
ined them  attentively. 

The  delicate  skin  and  white  hands  of  Wanda  looked 
suspicious.  She  did  not  look  like  a  gypsy.  They  ac- 
costed the  little  party,  and  asked  them  to  give  their 
names. 

The  fugitives  hesitated.  This  hesitation  was  against 
them. 

"Can't  you  see  what  I  am?"  said  Koroleff,  as  he  took 
off  his  red  wig  and  showed  them  his  black  curly  hair. 

"Where  were  you  born?"  asked  one  of  the  soldiers. 

"  Under  a  tree." 

"  Who  were  your  parents?  " 

"  My  father  was  a  crow,  and  my  mother  was  a  mag- 
pie."f 

The  soldier  reddened  with  anger.  "  Come  in  here,  you 
vagabonds!"  he  cried,  and  pushed  them  pell-mell  into 
the  tavern. 

Litzanoff  and  Koroleff  knew  this  place  ;  the  inn-keeper 
was  a  socialist,  and  they  had  often  stopped  there  before 
in  their  peregrinations.  As  they  entered,  Koroleff  ex- 
changed glances  with  him,  and  he  recognized  at  once 
the  danger  of  their  situation. 

"  You  think  we  are  not  gypsies,"  said   Koroleff  to  the 

*The  Russian  soldiers  wear  long  gray  hoods. 

•f-This  is  the  invariable  answer  that  the  Russian  vagabond  makes  when 
brought  belore  a  magistrate. 


FLIGHT.  307 

soldiers.  "  "Well,  try  us  !  Here  is  our  Zuakharka,*  who 
will  tell  you  the  past,  present  and  future.  And  here  is  a 
singer  who  can  beat  all  the  artists  in  Petersburg  ;  and  as 
for  me,  there  is  not  a  dancer  on  the  steppes  to  com- 
pare with  me." 

As  he  spoke,  he  stretched  upon  the  floor  his  old  tat- 
tered cloak.  "Sit  down  on  this,  Prima  Donna,  and  sing 
us  the  sword-dance." 

Wanda  sat  down  Turkish  fashion,  and  began  chanting 
a  strange  wild  melody  that  she  had  heard  the  peasants 
sing  on  her  father's  estate,  playing  an  occasional  chord 
upon  the  balalaika  as  accompaniment. 

At  first  her  voice  sounded  soft  and  low  ;  but  gradually 
the  measure  quickened,  and  the  notes  grew  more  in- 
tense, mingled  occasionally  with  what  seemed  sighs  of 
longing  ;  then  the  chant  died  away,  leaving  behind  it  a 
vibration  of  melodious  language. 

Koroleff,  in  his  dance,  followed  this  disordered  music. 
He  began  gently,  scarcely  raising  his  feet  from  the 
ground  ;  then  he  trampled  and  pawed  ;  suddenly  with 
one  leap  he  cleared  the  room,  bent  over,  crawled  a  few 
steps,  and  then  lay  flat  down. 

Wanda  stopped  ;  there  was  silence  for  a  moment,  until 
her  voice,  low,  trembling,  husky,  began  again.  Sudden- 
ly she  burst  forth  in  a  rapture  of  song. 

Koroleff  had  gone  on  with  his  dance,  and  he  leaped 
up  from  the  floor,  then  trampled  and  pawed  the  ground 
again,  then  turned  round  and  round  like  a  spindle,  bound- 
ing, stamping,  whirling,  until  it  made  one  dizzy  to  look 
at  him. 

The  soldiers,  who,  like  all  Russians,  dearly  love  music 
and  dancing,  were  fascinated;  and  as  they  looked,  they 
emptied  the  glasses  with  which  the  inn-keeper  was  plying 
them. 

"  Evidently  there  is  nothing  wrong  about  these  peo- 
ple," they  said. 

The  song,  the  dance,  the  vodki,  all  conspired  to  mud- 
dle their  brains;  they  sat  down  on  a  bench,  and  their 
heads  began  to  nod. 

(  *Fortune-teller. 


308  x  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Wanda  stopped  playing  for  a  moment.  Instantly  one 
of  the  men  sat  up.  "  Don't  stop,"  he  said;  "go  on,  go 
on!  " 

But  gradually  they  ceased  to  speak  or  notice.  They 
both  slipped  gently  down  upon  the  floor,  fast  asleep. 

Then  the  fugitives  crept  out.  The  horses  were  hitched 
up,  and  they  resumed  their  journey  in  the  direction  of 
Kieff.  They  went  on  all  that  day  and  the  next,  avoiding 
the  high-road  as  much  as  possible,  until,  as  the  sun  was 
setting,  they  mounted  a  high  hill,  and  a  beautiful  specta- 
cle was  before  their  eyes. 

The  holy  city  of  Kieff  lay  at  their  feet,  steeped  in  the 
golden  vapors  of  the  setting  sun.  The  houses,  built  in 
little  gardens;  the  many  hills,  crowned  with  lofty  build- 
ings; the  fortress;  the  famous  monastery  of  Kievo  Pest- 
chersk;  the  Tithe  Church,  one  of  the  oldest  in  Russia; 
St.  Andrew's  spires  and  domes;  farther  on,  the  blue  waters 
of  the  Dnieper  flowing  through  the  green  valley — all 
this  is  as  fair  a  sight  as  the  sun  looks  down  upon. 

"  We  must  enter  the  city  through  the  faubourg  Vasil- 
coff,"  said  Koroleff.  "  We  can  leave  our  carriage  at  the 
first  inn  we  come  across,  and  then  we  can  go  on  foot  to 
Mentikoff  s,  where  I  hope  we  shall  find  our  friends  safe 
and  sound." 

But  they  had  hardly  entered  the  outskirts  of  the  town 
before  a  squad  of  cavalry  stopped  their  way.  There  was 
nothing  to  be  done  ;  for  one  moment  Litzanoff  and  Kor- 
oleff thought  of  resisting,  but  it  was  hopeless. 

The  soldiers  surrounded  their  carriage,  and  under  such 
an  escort  they  drove  through  the  town.  The  crowd  gathered 
around  them,  growing  larger  and  more  dense  every  mo- 
ment. Two  carriages  were  coming  up  in  the  opposite 
direction  ;  the  street  was  narrow,  and  the  wheels  of  one 
of  them  got  entangled  with  the  gypsy  caravan.  Seizing 
his  opportunity,  Koroleff  leaped  lightly  from  the  driver's 
seat,  and  plunged  amongst  the  crowd.  A  soldier  saw  him, 
and  jumped  from  his  horse,  running  after  him,  and  cry- 
ing out,  "Stop  him  !  stop  him  !  " 

It  was  of  no  use  1     The   crowd  looked  on  unmoved. 


FLIGHT.  309 

They  seemed  a  population  very  indifferent  to  their  gov-* 
ernment  and  its  police. 

Raymond  took  the  reins,  which  Koroleff  had  dropped, 
and  Litzanoff  seated  himself  in  Raymond's  seat,  by  the 
side  of  Wanda. 

These  two  days  passed  close  to  her  had  increased  his 
passion  a  thousand  fold.  Several  times,  in  the  woods,  he 
had  been  tempted  to  kill  Raymond  and  run  off  with 
Wanda.  He  was  jealous  of  every  word,  of  every  look, 
that  she  addressed  to  that  poor,  fictitious  husband. 

And  yet,  in  these  last  two  days  he  had  been  happy. 
To  listen  to  her  voice,  to  drink  in  her  words,  to  be  lost  in 
the  light  of  her  eyes,  to  be  intoxicated  with  her  beauty; 
— all  this  was  great  happiness. 

But  now,  when  he  saw  himself  about  to  be  separated 
from  her,  perhaps  forever,  his  despair  knew  no  bounds. 

"  Wanda,"  he  said,  "  when  I  think  that  I  am  perhaps 
looking  at  you  for  the  last  time,  I  feel  as  if  my  heart  were 
being  torn  out  of  my  breast.  Probably  if  they  recognize 
me  I  shall  be  sent  to  Siberia;  but  the  snows  of  Siberia 
cannot  cool  the  fire  that  is  consuming  me.  Before  you 
leave  me,  give  me  one  word  that  I  can  treasure  forever 
in  the  depths  of  my  heart." 

Wanda  gave  him  her  hand.  He  held  it  a  long  time  in 
his. 

"  I  shall  never  forget  you,  Stepane,"  she  said. 

They  drew  up  before  Colonel  Heyking's  house. 

Wanda  threw  her  water-proof  around  her,  and  put  on 
her  blue  spectacles. 


310  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 

THE  BLUE  OFFICER. 

IN  every  Russian  city  of  any  importance,  the  Third 
Section  is  represented  by  a  colonel  or  a  captain  of  dra- 
goons, who  weais  the  light  blue  uniform.  His  functions 
are  not  clearly  defined,  but  he  is  recognized  as  the  in- 
spector of  the  governor,  the  inspector  of  the  magistrates, 
the  inspector  of  every  one  in  the  province. 

This  officer  is  generally  an  affable  gentleman  with  dis- 
tinguished manners.  He  is  an  honorary  member  of  all 
the  benevolent  societies;  but  when  the  sun  is  set,  he  is  in 
the  habit  of  receiving  a  lot  of  individuals  whose  conver- 
sation is  not  to  be  overheard  by  any  orderly  subject  of 
the  Czar. 

He  is  amiable  as  well  as  blue;  he  listens  to  every  com- 
plaint; he  is  thoroughly  incorruptible;  he  loathes  a  scan- 
dal; he  is  extremely  polite;  he  tries  to  live  on  good  terms 
with  everybody,  for  he  knows  well  that  for  the  least  cause 
he  may  be  dismissed  from  the  service.  But  he  dismisses 
others  to  Siberia  more  frequently  than  he  is  dismissed 
himself.  He  is  the  most  powerful  man  in  the  city,  for  he 
is  accountable  to  no  one  except  to  his  superior,  the  Chief 
of  the  Third  Section. 

Colonel  Heyking  was  a  fair  type  of  this  amiable  but 
formidable  individual.  He  was  a  young  man,  handsome, 
fair,  with  large  auburn  whiskers. 

When  our  four  fugitives  were  brought  before  him,  he 
looked  at  them  attentively,  and  bowing  to  Wanda,  said, 
with  much  deference: 

"  Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  lay  aside  your  cloak 
and  spectacles?" 

Wanda  saw  that  she  was  recognized,  and  complied  with 
his  request. 

"  It  is  impossible,  Princess,"  said  Heyking,  gallantly, 
"  to  forget  your  face,  if  a  man  has  once  seen  it.  Is  this 


THE  BLUE  OFFICER.  311 

young  girl  your  waiting-maid?  And  is  this  Monsieur 
Chabert?" 

He  stood  perplexed  before  Litzanoff.  "  I  suppose  this 
man  is  one  of  the  operatives  from  the  paper-mill,  is  he 
not?" 

"  Colonel,"  said  Wanda,  "  it  is  useless  to  try  to  hide 
anything  from  you.  Mpnsieur  Chabert'  is  my  husband; 
this  young  man  is  Monsieur  Chabert's  servant.  He  is  in 
no  wise  responsible  for  my  flight,  and  I  hope  that  you 
will  set  him  at  liberty." 

"  What  is  his  name?" 

"  Ivan  Zmiioff.  And  now,  Colonel,"  added  she,  "  will 
you  please  to  tell  me  why  we  are  obliged  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  everything  that  we  do  to  the  police?" 

"And  Princess  Wanda  Kryloff,  will  you  please  to  tell 
me  why  you  are  dressed  up  in  this  manner?" 

"Because  my  father  would  not  acknowledge  my  hus- 
band as  his  son-in-law,  and  so  I  left  his  house." 

"And  is  that  the  reason  that  these  gentlemen  killed  two 
soldiers  yesterday,  on  the  road  to  Bielaga?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  what  you  mean,"  answered  Wanda. 

"  You  will  all  four  have  the  goodness  to  write  your 
names  upon  this  sheet  of  paper,"  said  Heyking. 

They  did  so.  He  examined  carefully  the  four  signa- 
tures, and  laid  the  sheet  upon  which  they  were  written 
side  by  side  with  two  slips  of  paper  that  looked  as. if  they 
had  been  torn  from  a  note-book. 

Turning  towards  Katia,  he  said:  "  Yur  note-book,  if 
you  please." 

"  I  have  none,"  she  answered,  turning  deathly  pale. 

Heyking  was  watching  her.  "Give  it  up  at  once,"  he 
said,  "or  I  shall  have  you  searched." 

Katia  handed  her  note-book  to  the  Colonel.  Two 
pages  had  been  torn  out  of  it. 

The  two  slips  of  paper,  upon  which  vvas  written  with 
red  crayon — "  Killed  for  having  fired  upon  the  social- 
ists " — exactly  fitted  the  place  in  the  note-book  where 
the  two  pages  had  been  torn  out. 

"You  see,"  said  Heyking,  "  you  have  denounced  your- 
selves as  socialists.  Your  case  is  a  very  grave  one.  " 


312  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  We  only  killed  them  in  self-defense,"  answered  Ray- 
mond. "  In  the  dark  night  we  could  not  tell  who  they 
were." 

"You  say,"  continued  Hey  king,  "that  you  have  been 
married  to  Monsieur  Chabert  without  your  father's  con- 
sent?" 

Wanda  took  from  Katia's  hands  the  box  containing  her 
papers  and  jewels.  In  it  was  the  certificate  of  her  mar- 
riage. She  handed  it  to  the  Colonel,  who  read  it  atten- 
tively and  curiously. 

"  It  is  a  perfectly  legal  document,"  he  said,  restoring 
it  to  Wanda;  and  with  the  most  exquisite  politeness,  he 
added:  "Indeed,  Princess,  I  am  exceedingly  grieved  to 
be  obliged  to  put  you  under  arrest.  But  you  know  that 
Prince  Stackelberg  has  discretionary  powers,  and  I  must 
obey  him.  I  shall  telegraph  to  him  immediately  that  you 
are  here,  for  he  is  looking  for  you  in  the  south.  Day 
after  to-morrow  he  will  be  here,  and  he  will  then  decide 
himself  what  is  to  be  your  fate." 

At  these  words,  Wanda  felt  a  cold  sweat  break  out  all 
over  her.  She  had  mortally  offended  this  man,  who 
could  now  take  such  terrible  vengeance  upon  her — not 
only  upon  her,  but  upon  Litzanoff  and  Raymond. 

Litzanoff,  too,  trembled  at  the  thought  of  meeting 
Stackelberg;  but  he  trembled  from  hate  and  not  from  fear. 

"I  do  not  regard  you  as  a  prisoner,  Princess,"  contin- 
ued Heyking,  with  the  same  extreme  politeness,  "  and  I 
do  not  wish  to  treat  you  as  such.  If  you  and  Monsieur 
Chabert  will  accept  for  to-night  my  hospitality,  I  shall 
be  most  happy  to  give  you  a  room  in  my  house." 

Wanda  noticed  a  strange  light  in  Litzanoif 's  eyes. 
She  understood  him; 'she  guessed  his  jealous  thoughts. 

"Can  I  not  have  my  waiting-maid  with  me?"  she  in- 
quired. 

But  the  Colonel  answered  her  in  the  most  determined 
manner:  "Until  the  arrival  of  Prince  Stackelberg,  Katia 
Lawinska  and  the  person  whom  you  call  Ivan  Zmlioff 
will  be  taken  to  the  fortress." 

He  gave  his  orders  to  his  soldiers,  bowed  coldly  to. 
the  Princess,  and  left  the  room. 


THE  PRINTING  OFFICE.  313 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

THE    PRINTING   OFFICE.  ' 

MENTIKOFF'S  printing-office  stands  in  the  most  aristo- 
cratic part  of  Kieff,  not  far  from  the  monastery  of  Kievo- 
Pestchersk.  Mentikoff  was  at  the  same  time  publisher 
and  printer.  He  edited  pious  books,  sold  sacred  images, 
and  provided  the  monastery  and  its  pilgrims  with  all 
manner  of  relics. 

"  The  Russians  are  very  superstitious.  Every  cottage 
boasts  of  its  picture  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  or  of  the 
patron-saint  of  its  owner.  Mentikoff 's  pictures 
were  celebrated  for  their  beauty  ;  and  as  he  made  a  large 
number  of  them,  he  employed  a  great  many  workmen. 

They  were  all  socialists,  and  they  all  pretended  great 
devotion  to  conceal  their  real  views.  When  the  day's 
work  was  over,  the  operatives  offered  to  work  without 
remuneration  in  aid  of  the  cause.  The  most  incendiary 
revolutionary  pamphlets  came  out  of  Mentikoff 's  holy 
printing-press ;  and,  concealed  within  the  pictures  of 
saints  or  wrapped  around  some  sacred  relic,  they  found 
their  way  through  the  post  into  every  corner  of  Holy 
Russia. 

It  was  at  MentikofFs  that  Alexandra,  Michael,  Pad- 
lewsky,  Matcha,  and  Zobolewsky,  had  taken  refuge. 
Dressed  as  common  workmen,  they  had  entered  the  prin- 
ier's  shop  unrecognized. 

At  eleven  o'clock  that  night,  Koroleff  appeared  amongst 
them  and  told  them  the  dreadful  news.  But  he  also 
told  them  that  he  thought  he  had  found  a  means  to 
deliver  the  prisoners. 

As  he  was  talking,  Countess  Kousmine,  Nadege, 
and  Verenine  entered.  Verenine  had  sent  word  to 
Nadege  that  Wanda  was  coming  to  Kieff,  and  they  were 
all  three  uneasy  at  her  non-appearance.  Countess  Kous- 
mine had  constant  intercourse  with  Mentikoff,  and  she 
hoped  to  hear  from  him  something  of  the  fugitives. 


314  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

When  Nadege  was  told  that  Stepane  was  again  under 
arrest,  she  nearly  fainted. 

"  He  is  lost!  He  is  lost!  "  she  cried.  "  Oh,  Koroleff  ! 
save  him  this  time,  and  I  will  give  you  my  whole  for- 
tune; I  will  devote  my  whole  life  to  the  cause." 

"  Koroleff,''  said  Verenine,  "I  will  do  anything  to  de- 
liver our  friends;  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  lay  down  my 
life  for  them.  I  am  a  socialist;  I  desire  the  revolution." 

That  very  evening,  a  number  of  students,  the  most 
active  leaders  of  the  revolutionary  party,  hearing  that 
Padlewsky  and  Michael  had  arrived  at  Mentikoff's,  came 
to  get  their  orders. 

They  asked  this  question:  "Shall  Hey  king's  death- 
sentence  be  executed?" 

For  three  months,  in  spite  of  his  warning,  he  had  cease- 
lessly persecuted  the  socialists.  This  evening's  arrests 
filled  the  measure  of  his  iniquity. 

But  in  the  interest  of  the  prisoners,  Michael  and  Ped- 
lewsky  urged  a  little  delay. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

A   TEREIBLB    POSITION. 

As  WANDA  and  Chabert  were  ushered,  by  Colonel 
Heyking's  order,  into  their  bedroom,  Chabert  could  not  re- 
press a  violent  emotion;  but  the  Princess  was  perfectly 
calm  and  unmoved. 

She  was  exhausted,  and  lay  down  upon  a  sofa.  "  Take 
that  chair,  Raymond,"  said  she.  "  What  is  to  become  of 
us,  dear  friend?  I  am  not  uneasy  about  myself,  on  ac- 
count of  my  high  rank.  But  Russian  justice  is  far  from 
being  just.  My  father  and  Stackelberg  will  pursue  you 
relentlessly.  You  may  be  sent  to  Siberia.  When  you 
oifered  me  your  life,  you  did  not  think  it  would  come  to 
this,  did  you?" 


A  TERRIBLE  POSITION.  315 

"I  foresaw  everything,  dear  Wanda;  and  I  never  hesi- 
tated for  a  moment." 

"  But  how  will  you  be  able  to  endure  the  dreadful  Si- 
berian climate? — you  are  not  accustomed  to  the  cold." 

"I  have  given  you  my  life,  Wanda;  my  greatest  un- 
happiness  would  be  to  be  separated  from  you." 

"  How  good  you  are,  Raymond,"  she  said,  holding  out 
her  hand  to  him. 

But  he,  to  conceal  his  agitation,  arose  and  went  to  the 
window.  "  There  is  no  means  of  escape,"  he  said;  "  there 
is  a  sentinel  right  here,  under  our  window." 

Then  he  tried  the  door.  "Notwithstanding  Heyking's 
politeness,  we  are  held  fast  under  lock  and  key." 

"  And  yet  I  will  trust  Koroleff  's  ingenuity  to  get  us 
out,"  said  Wanda.  "  And  if  *the  worst  comes  to  the 
worst,  and  you  are  condemned,  I  shall  ask  permission  to 
go  with  you,  Raymond.  I  am  your  wife;  and  the  Emperor 
has  never  refused  to  allow  a  wife  to  accompany  her  hus- 
band in  exile." 

"  Would  you  follow  me  to  Siberia,  Wanda?  "  cried  Ray- 
mond, in  a  voice  broken  with  emotion. 

"Yes;  it  is  my  duty,  and  I  will  do  it." 

"  But  you  are  not  my  wife.  Do  you  think  that  I  seri- 
ously believe  in  this  sham  marriage?" 

"  This  sham  marriage,  as  you  call  it,  is  more  binding  in 
my  eyes  than  if  I  were  really  your  wife." 

"No,  no,"  exclaimed  Chabert;  "  I  shall  never  consent 
to  your  going  with  me.  Besides,  the  cause  needs  you 
here  in  Russia." 

"  Raymond,  you  devoted  yourself  to  me  blindly.  I  owe 
you  something  in  return.  I  know  you  have  a  noble  heart, 
and  that 'you  would  forgive  me  for  deserting  you;  but  I 
could  never  forgive  myself.  I  could  not  accept  my  lib- 
erty when  you  had  sacrificed  yours  for  me." 

"  Who  says  that  it  is  for  you  that  I  have-sacrificed  my  lib- 
erty ?  Can  you  not  see  that  I  too  am  willing  to  die  for  my 
convictions?  Did  I  not  offer  my  life  to  the  cause  before  I 
ever  saw  you?  Grant  me  at  least  this  merit,  which  is  far 
above  any  mere  personal  feeling." 


316  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  know  you  well,  Raymond,  and  I  do  not  doubt  the 
nobility  of  your  sentiments;  but  would  you  have  thrown 
yourself  with  the  same  ardor  into  the  revolutionary  move- 
ment, in  this  foreign  land,  had  it  not  been  for  me?" 

"  My  dear  Wanda,"  said  Raymond,  "it  is  all  one  to  me 
whether  the  revolution  begins  in  Russia  or  Germany  or 
England  or  America.  It  is  bound  to  break  out,  and  when 
it  does,  it  will'  carry  everything  before  it.  To  help  on 
this  great  idea  is  the  object  of  my  life;  and  I  am  only 
too  happy  to  have  at  my  side  a  companion  like  you." 

Wanda  seized  Raymond's  hand  and  pressed  it  between 
her  own. 

"You  are  noble,  Raymond!  I  am  proud  to  bear  your 
name.  I  knew  that  I  understood  you  when  I  chose  you 
for  my  husband," 

"  You  were  surrounded  by  men  quite  as  generous  and 
quite  as  noble  as  I  am." 

"  Do  you  mean  Stepane  ?  " 

"Do  not  think  that  I  am  jealous." 

"  I  do  not  suspect  you  of  anything  so  base.  Stepane 
and  my  Cousin  Verenine  were  only  devoted  to  me  per- 
sonally. The  cause  was  a  secondary  matter  to  them. 
That  is  why  I  have  less  confidence  in  them  than  I  have 
in  you." 

At  this  moment  the  Colonel's  footman  entered  with 
some  refreshments. 

"  Can  you  eat  anything  ?"  asked  Raymond. 

"  We  must  strengthen  ourselves  with  food  to  keep  up 
our  spirits  ;  so,  my  dear  Raymond,  let  us  make  a  good 
meal." 

When  their  supper  was  over,  Wanda  lay  down  upon 
the  bed,  dressed  as  she  was,  and  invited  Raymond  to  re- 
pose upon  the  sofa. 

"  Grant  me  one  favor,  Wanda,"  he  said  ;  "  for  this  one 
Anight,  let  me  lie  at  your  feet." 

He  wrapped  himself  in  his  fur  cloak,  and  stretched 
himself  on  the  carpet  at  the  foot  of  her  bed. 

She  was  soon  asleep  ;  but  Raymond  could  not  close 
his  eyes.  The  affection  that  Wanda  had  expressed  for 


DEFIANCE.  317 


him  had  deeply  touched  him.  And  he  was  thirty  years 
old,  and  passionately  loved  this  woman  who  lay  there, 
trusting  in  his  respect  and  in  his  love. 

When  Wanda  awoke  the  next  morning,  Raymond  was 
standing  by  her  side.  She  noticed  his  altered  countenance 
and  his  feverish  eyes. 

"  Are  you  ill  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  answered,  looking  away  from  her. 

"  But  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ?"  she  asked  again. 
Raymond  flushed  crimson. 

"  Oh,  my  friend  1  my  friend  ! "  she  cried,  "  forgive 
me!" 

At  this  moment,  the  key  turned  in  the  lock,  the  door 
opened,  and  Vassili  Stackelberg  walked  into  the  room. 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

DEFIANCE. 

As  he  entered,  he  examined  the  prisoners'  faces. 
Wanda's  was  calm  and  pure  ;  Raymond's  sad  and  full 
of  passion. 

Vassili  felt  a  pain  shoot  through  his  heart ;  for  he  truly 
loved  the  Princess,  although  he  was  jealous,  furious,  and 
thirsting  for  vengeance.  To  make  her  suffer  as  he  was 
suffering,  to  separate  her  forever  from  the  man  she  loved, 
to  torture,  to  annihilate  the  creature  who  had  dared  to 
be  his  rival — these  were  his  frantic  hopes. 

Wanda  rose  as  he  entered,  and  advanced  to  meet  him. 
"  Is  it  by  your  orders,  Sir,"  she  said,  "  that  we  are  ar- 
rested?" 

"  It  was  indeed  I  who  gave  the  order,  upon  the  express 
desire  of  the  Prince,  your  father. " 


318  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  My  father  has  no  right  to  have  me  arrested;  and  still 
less  have  you  the  right  to  arrest  Monsieur  Chabert,  a 
stranger,  accredited  by  his  own  government." 

"  I  certainly  had  very  serious  reasons  for  giving  that 
order,  "  answered  Stackelberg. 

"Have  the  goodness  to  say  what  they  are?" 

"  When  the  Government  interrogates  me,  I  shall  an- 
swer ;  not  before.  You  forget  that  you  have  openly  de- 
clared yourself,  in  the  presence  of  twenty  persons,  to  be 
a  socialist. " 

"  I  certainly  did;  but  that  is  merely  my  own  way  of 
thinking.  Does  the  Government,  personified  in  you,  in- 
tend to  prevent  me  from  thinking?  " 

"  It  does  not  intend  to  allow  you  to  give  utterance  to 
revolutionary  opinions. " 

"  What !    not  in  my  own  drawing-room?" 

"  No,  not  in  your  own  drawing-room.  " 

"  What  is  Monsieur  Chabert  accused  of?  " 

"  Of  having  mixed  himself  up  in  a  rising  of  workmen.  " 

"How  will  you  prove  that?" 

"  I  shall  not  attempt  to  prove  it.  It  is  enough  that  I 
know  it." 

"  I  shall  appeal  to  the  French  Embassy,"  said  Ray- 
mond. 

"  Appeal,  Sir,  appeal  as  much  as  you  please.  I  can 
show  that  you  are  a  communist,  a  dangerous  revolution- 
ist, a  plotter,  a  sharper,  not  to  say . . . . " 

"  Sir,"  said  Raymond,  advancing  upon  him,  "  I  am 
your  prisoner,  it  is  true,  and  if  you  are  a  gentleman,  you 
will  apologize  for  your  insulting  words." 

Stackelberg  laughed  aloud.  "  This  is  some  of  your 
French  boasting.  You  forget  the  distance  between  my- 
self and  an  adventurer  like  you." 

Without  more  ado,  Raymond  slapped  him  in  the  face. 
"Coward!  you  are  a  coward!"  he  cried. 

Wanda  screamed  aloud.  "Oh,  Raymond!  what  have 
you  done! " 

Stackelberg  threw  open  the  door,  and  called  to  his 
soldiers,  who  stood  without. 


DEFIANCE.  319 


"Take  this  man  and  handcuff  him!  Let  hirn  be 
guarded  with  the  greatest  care." 

Wanda  understood  that  it  was  an  eternal  separation; 
and  full  of  pity,  remorse,  and  tenderness,  she  rushed  to- 
wards Chabert  and  clasped  him  in  her  arms. 

"Raymond,"  she  sobbed,  "my  friend,  my  husband! 
farewell,  farewell!" 

"Adieu,  Wanda! "  said  Raymond.  "Regret  nothing; 
I  suffer  gladly  for  you  and  for  the  cause." 

He  held  her  to  his  heart,  while  he  pressed  a  lingering 
kiss  upon  her  forehead. 

The  German,  beside  himself  with  rage,  signed  to  his 
men  to  cut  this  scene  short.  They  bore  Raymond  away. 

Stackelberg  was  left  alone  with  Wanda.  For  some 
minutes  neither  spoke.  They  watched  each  other  like 
two  men  about  to  fight  a  duel. 

At  last  Stackelberg  broke  the  silence.  "  Pray  be 
seated,  Princess.  We  must  speak  together." 

He  took  a  seat  also;  and  leaning  his  elbows  upon  the 
table,  stooped  over  like  a  man  bearing  a  heavy  burthen. 

"And  so  you  have  been  making  game  of  me,  Wanda 
Petrowna!  making  game,  too,  of  my  love  for  you — a  love 
so  great,  so  all-absorbing,  that  I  would  have  sacrificed 
everything  to  it! " 

"  What,  for  instance?  n  asked  Wanda. 

"  My  position  in  society,  my  convictions,  even,  if  you 
had  desired  it." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  your  convictions?  " 

"  I  mean  my  devotion  to  the  Emperor." 

"  That  is  not  a  conviction — it  is  merely  a  sentiment; 
which  translated  into  sensible  language  means  personal 
interest  or  personal  ambition." 

"  But  I  do  believe  in  the  principle  of  authority,"  said 
the  Prince. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  principle?  Do  you  mean 
the  right  that  certain  men  arrogate  to  themselves  to  rule 
over  other  men?  Is  that  a  part  of  the  divine  right?  " 

"  In  listening  to  you,  in  looking  at  you,  Wanda  Pe- 
trowna, I  forget  divine  rights  and  all  other  rights.  Your 
eyes  convince  me  more  than  your  words." 


320  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Insipid  compliments  to  a  prisoner! "  said  Wanda, 
disdainfully. 

"You  look  so  beautiful!  This  gypsy  costume  is  be- 
coming to  you.  I  am  not  paying  you  any  compliments. 
You  know  what  I  have  felt  for  you  ever  since  my  eyes 
first  rested  upon  your  face,  at  that  ball  at  the  Winter 
Palace." 

"  That  was  so  long  ago  ! " 

"Five  months  ago  !  For  five  months  your  image  has 
never  once  been  out  of  my  mind.  You  know  it,  don't 
you?" 

"  I  have  heard  you  say  so." 

"  Do  you  not  believe  me?  " 

"Not  altogether.  The  socialists  have  occupied  your 
attention  also." 

"  You  made  me  forget  everything,  even  my  duty.  You 
said,  'There  are  no  socialists,'  and  I  believed  you.  and 
sought  for  them  no  longer.  I  could  not  tear  myself  from 
the  place  where  you  lived.  A  day  passed  away  from  you 
would  have  been  a  day  of  agony  for  me.  Had  you 
wished  it,  you  could  have  brought  me  over  to  your  views. 
Even  now  I  feel  my  weakness.  One  look  from  you,  one 
word  of  hope . . . . " 

"Well?" 

"I  would  listen  to  you;  I  would  obey  your  wishes;  I 
would  give  up  the  search;  I  would  set  you  and  the  other 
fugitives  free." 

"Would  you  liberate  all  the  prisoners  in  Kieff  ?" 

"  I  would  do  anything  to  be  loved  by  you  for  one  day 
— for  one  hour." 

"  Well,  commence  by  opening  the  prison  doors,  and  I 
will  see  what  I  can  do  for  you.  I  will  consent  to  remain 
in  your  hands  as  a  hostage." 

"You  will  consent?"  said  Vassili,  rising  from  his  seat. 
"  Then  pity  me,  and  give  me  one  kiss." 

Wanda  shrunk  away  from  him  with  a  look  of  disgust 
that  he  could  not  mistake. 

"  You  hate  me  !  "  he  said,  seating  himself  again.  "Are 
you  married?" 


DEFIANCE.  321 


"  I  am,  and  I  am  not/' 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Legally,  I  bear  Monsieur  Chabert  's  name  ;  but  I 
am  not  his  wife.  " 

"You  showed  Heyking  a  marriage  certificate.  I 
should  like  to  see  it." 

"  What  for  ?  " 

"  If  Monsieur  Chabert  is  really  your  husband  I  will 
treat  him  with  more  consideration. " 

Wanda  hesitated,  but  at  last  she  handed  him  the  paper. 

Stackelberg  took  it,  with  trembling  hand.  At  first,  he 
could  not  "Understand  it ;  but  recovering  himself,  he 
looked  at  the  date — January  30th. 

"So!"  he  hissed  between  his  set  teeth,  "for  four 
months  you  have  been  deceiving  me  !  For  four  months 
you  have  been  playing  the  part  of  an  infernal  coquette! " 

"  I  tried  to  make  myself  agreeable  to  you,  as  you  were 
my  guest — that  was  all. " 

"Did  you  not  promise  me  your  hand  the  very  day 
that  you  ran  away  ?  Did  you  not  allow  me  to  announce 
our  engagement  publicly  ?" 

Wanda  did  not  answer. 

"  You  see  yourself  there  is  no  excuse  for  such  disloyal 
conduct. " 

"Disloyal?"  retorted  Wanda,  raising  her  splendid 
eyes  to  his  ;  "  and  were  you  very  loyal,  Vassili  Antono- 
vitch,  when  you  had  Count  Litzanoff  sent  to  prison  ?  " 

"I?" 

"  Yes,  you,  Sir.  The  judge  who  questioned  him  re- 
peated word  for  word  the  conversation  that  you  had  with 
him,  in  my  father's  smoking  room,  the  night  of  our  ball." 

"  And  so  it  was  to  avenge  that  man  whom  you  loved, 
that  you  .... 

"  If  I  loved  him,  how  could  I  have  married  Raymond 
Chabert  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  explain  your  conduct,  Wanda  Petrowna." 

"It  is  very  simple.     I  married  Raymond    Chabert  to 
get  away  from  my  father's  rule;  but,  as  I  told  you  just 
now,  he  is  only  my  husband  in  name." 
21 


322  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  Then,  if  you  have  not  given  your  heart  to  Raymond,  it 
is  because  you  love  the  other  man." 

"No.''    ' 

"At  the  bottom  of  every  female  resolve,  there  is  always 
a  question  of  love.  You  are  either  in  love  with  Litzanoff 
or  with  Chabert.  Which  is  it?  " 

Wanda  knew  that  if  she  gave  him  the  least  clue,  it 
would  be  the  destruction  of  one  or  the  other  of  her  friends. 
She  therefore  assured  him  that  her  whole  desire  was  to 
devote  herself  to  the  socialist  cause. 

"Well,"  said  Stackelberg,  "there  is  one  more  way  to 
save  you  and  your  friends;  that  is  to  reveal  to  me  all  your 
socialist  secrets." 

"Truly,  Prince  Stackelberg,"  replied  Wanda,  "you 
must  have  a  strange  opinion  of  me  if  you  think  me  capa- 
ble of  betraying  the  cause  to  which  I  have  devoted  my 
life." 

Stackelberg  walked  up  and  down  the  room,  then  sud- 
denly stopped  before  his  prisoner. 

"•Wanda,"  said  he,  "if  you  believe  that  I  am  thinking 
of  the  socialists  at  this  momejit,  you  are  mistaken.  I 
hardly  know  what  I  am  saying.  I  am  only  prolonging 
our  interview — for,  strange,  ridiculous  as  it  is,  I  love  you. 
Hell  is  in  my  heart.  You  have  infamously  deceived  me; 
you  are  laughing  at  me  now.  I  know  that  you  hate  me, 
and  in  spite  of  all,  I  love  you.  Tell  me,  what  shall  I  do? 
1  repeat  it  again,  I  will  do  anything  if  you  will  only 
smile  upon  me." 

"And  I  repeat  it  again:  Open  the  prison  doors  to  my 
friends." 

"Will  you  remain  with  me  as  hostage?" 

"I  will." 

"  And  you  will  grant  me " 

"  My  friendship;"  and  Wanda  gave  her  hand  to  Stack- 
elberg, who  fell  down  upon  his  knees  and  kissed  it  over, 
and  over  again. 

"  Wanda!  Wanda!  "  he  cried,  "pity  me  !  give  me  one 
kiss,  and  I  will  be  your  slave  forever!  " 

His  face  was  so  distorted  that  it  frightened  her. 


THE  FALSE  ARCHIMANDRITE.  323 

"No,"  she  said,  stepping  back. 

But  Stackelberg  jumped  up,  took  her  in  his  arms,  and 
strained  her  to  his  breast.  "I  will  have  one  kiss,"  he 
said;  and  throwing  his  arm  around  her  neck  he  pressed 
his  trembling  lips  to  hers. 

Wanda,  horrified,  forgot  to  be  prudent. 

"  I  hate  you  !  I  loathe  you  ! "  she  cried,  breaking  away 
from  him  and  running  to  a  little  table  on  which  lay  her 
revolver,  which  she  seized,  and  leveling  it  at  the  Prince, 
said  : 

"  Wretch  !  if  you  come  near  me,  I  will  fire." 

She  accompanied  these  words  with  such  a  look  that 
Vassili  recoiled,  terrified,  for  he  was  indeed  a  coward. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "  I  will  have  nothing  that  I  must  ob- 
tain by  force;  but  remember  one  thing,  Madame  Chabert, 
soon  you  will  be  on  your  knees  to  me;  and  then  perhaps 
I  may  be  inflexible." 

He  went  out.  Half  an  hour  later  two  soldiers  arrived 
to  take  Wanda  to  the  fortress. 


CHAPTER  XLVI1I. 


THE   FALSE    ARCHIMANDRITE. 

IT  WAS  about  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  fol- 
lowing day,  as  an  archimandrite,*  dressed  in  his  ecclesias- 
tical robes,  with  his  tall  black  hat  upon  his  head  and  St. 
Andrew's  cross  upon  his  heart,  walked  briskly  along  the 
road  to  the  fortress.  His  skin  was  very  swarthy,  and  his 
long  beard  snow-white. 

It  was  none  other  than  Koroleff,  for  whom  Mentikoff 
had  procured  this  disguise,  on  his  way  to  deliver  Litzan- 
off  from  prison. 

When  he  reached  the  fortress,  he  asked  permission  of 

*  The  Superior  of  a  convent  or  monastery. 


324  ,   A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

the  porter  to  see  Ivan  Zmtioff,  producing  a  permit  signed 
"  Heyking;"  it  was  a  false  permit,  but  the  Russians  are 
so  superstitious  that  the  man  never  thought  of  critically 
examining  a  paper  held  out  to  him  by  a  priest,  and  mere- 
ly begging  the  archimandrite  for  his  blessing,  he  hastened 
to  open  the  gate,  and  conducted  him  to  Litzanoff's  cell. 

"  Leave  me  here,  my  friend,"  said  Koroleff  to  the  jail- 
or; "come  forme  in  half  an  hour." 

The  jailor  went  away,  closing  the  door  upon  him  whom 
he  believed  to  be  the  head  of  the  monastery. 

Stepane  gazed  at  his  visitor  with  defiance  in  his  face. 

Then  Koroleff  took  off  his  hat,  laid  asicie  his  beard,  and 
said  in  his  natural  voice: 

"  Do  you  not  know  me?  I  have  come  to  deliver  you. 
There  is  not  a  moment  to  lose.  We  must  change  clothes; 
you  will  go  out,  and  I  will  remain  in  your  place.  " 

"And  you  think  I  would  accept  such  a  sacrifice?" 

"I  am  not  sacrificing  myself  for  you." 

"  Yes,  I  understand  ;  it  is  for  the  cause.  But  yet  I 
should  have  to  leave  you  here  in  my  place.  No,  my  dear 
friend^  I  will  not  do  it.  After  all,  it  is  a  perfect  piece  of 
selfishness;  you  take  all  the  best  parts  in  the  play  for  your- 
self. I  want  an  opportunity  to  show  what  I  can  do  too." 

"  Listen  to  me,  Stepane.  My  pockets  are  full  of 
money.  Your  wife  gave  it  to  me  for  the  purpose  of  get- 
ting you  out  of  prison." 

"  Is  my  wife  in  Kieff  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  and  if  I  had  not  promised  to  get  you  out,  she 
would  certainly  have  gone  to  the  Governor,  and  so  made 
an  end  of  everything." 

"That  is  just  like  her," said  Stepane.  "What  are 
you  going  to  do  with  the  money  ?  " 

"  Bribe  the  watchmen  and  the  sentinels,  and  escape, 
all  four  of  us." 

"  Are  the  Princess  and  Chabert  both  here  ?  " 

"Yes,  they  were  brought  in  yesterday.  One  of  our 
men,  who  is  a  servant  at  Heyking's,  brought  us  word .... 
But  we  have  lost  too  much  time  already.  Make  haste 
— undress  yourself." 


.j  THE  FEMALE  PRISONER.  325 

Litzanoff  still  objected.  "You  can  give  me  the 
money,"  he  said.  "  I  can  bribe  the  men  as  well  as  you." 

"  No,  no,  it  requires  more  care  than  you  suppose  ;  and 
if  you  were  to  fail,  they  would  take  all  your  bank-notes 
away  from  you,  and  you  would  be  sent  to  the  casemates." 

As  he  spoke,  Koroleff  took  off  his  robes,  and  impa- 
tiently held  them  out  to  Litzanoff.  "  If  the  jailor  were 
to  come  in  just  now  there  would  be  a  pretty  mess,"  said  he. 

Litzanoff  obeyed,  and  as  he  and  Koroleff  were  nearly 
of  a  size,  and  as  the  shades  of  evening  were  falling  fast, 
the  change  was  hardly  perceptible. 

"  Now,"  said  Koroleff,  "  look  down,  lean  your  head 
forward,  put  on  your  hat,  walk  slowly  and  with  dignity, 
raise  your  shoulders,  draw  your  elbows  into  your  side — 
so — that  will  do  ! 

The  jailor  opened  the  door;  the  passage  outside  was 
very  dark;  the  man  noticed  nothing  out  of  the  way. 

u  My  friend,"  said  Stepane,  "  take  me  to  the  cell  occu- 
pied by  Princess  Kryloff." 

The  jailor  hastened  to  obey. 


XLIX. 

THE    FEMALE    PRISONER. 

FOUR  grey  walls,  a  wooden  stool,  a  deal  table,  and  an 
iron  bedstead,  composed  the  furniture  of  Wanda's  cell. 

She  was  sitting  by  the  table  leaning  her  head  upon  her 
hand. 

She  had  been  there  for  thirty-six  hours,  counting  every 
hour  as  it  was  struck  by  the  fortress  clock,  listening  to 
the  clank  of  chains,  the  click  of  the  guns,  and  the  noise 
of  the  locks,  as  the  keys  turned  heavily  in  the  doors. 

Her  appearance  was  already  very  much  altered;  but  she 
never  for  one  moment  regretted  her  resolution.  She  was 


326  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

sad,  but  she  was  neither  discouraged  nor  cast  down.  She 
was  determined  thatshe  would  follow  out  her  convictions 
to  the  end,  even  to  Siberia,  even  to  death. 

Yesterday  she  was  one  of  the  great  ladies  of  Russia; 
to-day  she  was  Madame  Chabert,  a  socialist,  whose  very 
name  would  send  a  shudder  through  Russia. 

Behind  her  glittered  all  that  she  had  lost;  before  her 
stood  forth  in  grim  reality  all  that  she  was  called  upon  to 
endure. 

She  smiled  bitterly  at  herself.  In  the  palaces  in  which 
her  youth  had  been  passed,  she  had  felt  herself  more  of  a 
prisoner  than  at  this  very  moment,  within  these  four  bare 
walls,  beneath  these  grated  windows. 

Koroleff  had  said  that  he  would  deliver  her;  but  how 
could  he  do  it?  And  then  Stackelberg  would  come  again, 
most  probably.  She  was  at  his  mercy. 

At  this  thought,  she  shuddered.  He  could  do  any- 
thing. He  could  with  one  word  cause  her  to  disappear 
forever,  so  that  no  one  would  ever  know  what  had  be- 
come of  her. 

So  she  sat,  lost  in  thought,  when  the  door  grated  on  its 
hinges  and  then  opened.  To  her  great  astonishment,  she 
saw  a  priest  enter.  What  did  it  mean?  Were  they 
going  to  try  and  convert  her? 

She  stood  up.  "What  do  you  want  with  me?"  she 
said. 

The  jailor  closed  the  door  upon  the  archimandrite,  who, 
falling  on  his  knees,  cried  out,  "Wanda  !  Wanda !  it  is  I." 

"  You,  Stepane  !  in  this  dress !  " 

After  telling  her  how  it  had  all  happened,  he  added, 
"  I  could  not  resist  the  desire  to  see  you,  and  declare  to 
you  once  more  my  love  and  my  devotion." 

"  Oh,  how  imprudent  1 "  cried  Wanda.  "  Go  away  !  Go 
away  ! — suppose  any  one  should  come  !  " 

"Let  me  stay  here  a  few  moments;  I  only  accepted 
Koroleff 's  suggestion  so  as  to  see  you  alone  for  one 
minute;  you  always  manage  to  place  some  barrier  be- 
tween us,  Wanda.  Let  me  see  you,  let  me  tell  you 

I  do  not  know  what  I  am  saying." 


THE  FEMALE  PRISONER,  327 

Wanda  was  leaning  against  the  wall.  Her  breast  was 
heaving,  her  eyes  half-closed.  She  dared  not  speak,  lest 
she  should  betray  her  emotion.  Her  nerves  were  un- 
strung by  her  imprisonment,  and  this  unexpected  visit 
found  her  very  weak.  She  made  no  reply.  He  drew 
near,  and  took  her  hand;  it  was  cold  as  ice. 

"You  are  not  angry  with  me,  Wanda,  are  you?"  he 
said. 

She  felt  her  knees  tremble. 

"  Wanda,  my  idol — I  have  not  displeased  you,  have 
I?  " 

"  Stepane,"  she  answered,  struggling  against  the  rising 
tenderness  that  threatened  to  overwhelm  her,  "  I  cannot 
be  false  to  my  promise." 

"What  promise?  Your  promise  to  this  Raymond 
Chabert?  " 

"Remember,  Stepane,"  she  said,  "he  helped  you  to 
escape  from  prison." 

Stepane  dropped  upon  the  stool,  buried  his  face  in  his 
hands,  and  sobbed  aloud. 

"  Stop,  my  dear  friend,"  said  Wanda.  "  Your  presence 
here  frightens  me.  We  do  not  even  know  what  is  to  be- 
come of  us.  Call  the  jailor;  I  am  afraid  of  Stackel- 
berg;"  and  she  related  to  him  the  scene  of  the  night 
before. 

"  The  coward!  the  coward!"  cried  Litzanoff,  "to  in- 
sult a  prisoner,  a  defenseless  woman!  The  wretch!  I 
will  kill  him!" 

"I  implore  of  you,  Stepane,  do  not  be  rash;  you  may 
ruin  us  all." 

"  To  please  you,  Wanda,  I  will  try  to  control  myself; 
but  you  must  tell  me  that  you  love  me." 

Wanda  gave  him  her  hand,  murmuring  faintly,  "I  do 
love  you." 

But  Stepane  fell  at  her  feet. 

Wanda  heard  a  footstep.  "  Get  up,  Stepane,"  she 
said.  But  he  would  not  heed,  he  would  not  listen. 

The  door  flew  openj  a  man  stood  upon  the  threshold; 
it  was  Stackelberg. 


328  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

At  the  sight  of  this  priest  on  his  knees  at  Wanda's 
feet,  the  terrible  inquisitor  stood  for  a  moment  stupefied. 

"Who  gaye  this  man  permission  to  enter?"  he  asked, 
turning  to  the  jailor. 

"  The  Governor." 

"  Where  is  the  permit?  " 

"•  Wiil  Your  Excellency  deign  to  show  it?"  faltered  the 
trembling  official. 

Litzanoff  hesitated  for  one  instant,  and  then  produced 
the  false  document. 

This  hesitation  increased  Stackelberg's  suspicions. 

"  Go,  bring  a  light,  and  summon  the  soldiers,"  he  or- 
dered. 

The  door  had  hardly  closed  upon  the  jailor,  when 
Litzanoif,  with  one  bound,  seized  Vassili,  threw  him 
down  on  the  hard  floor,  pressed  his  knee  against  his 
breast,  and  twining  his  fingers  into  his  enemy's  cravat, 
twisted  it  round  and  round  so  as  to  choke  him. 

"  We  have  an  old  account  to  settle,  you  coward! "  he 
growled  through  his  set  teeth. 

Wanda  strove  to  free  Stacke'berg.  "  Oh  Stepane!  "  she 
cried,  "I  implore  you!  I  command  you!  let  this  man 
alone!  " 

Litzanoff  heeded  her  not.  Stackelberg's  face  was 
black;  his  eyes  seemed  starting  from  their  sockets;  his 
tongue  hung  out  of  his  mouth. 

"Here  are  the  soldiers!"  exclaimed  Wanda.  Litzanoff 
arose.  Stackelberg  was  unconscious,  but  not  dead.  He 
came  to  himself  in  a  moment,  and  painfully  raising  him- 
self upon  his  elbow  said: 

"  Handcuff  that  scoundrel  !  put  him  in  irons,  and  shut 
him  up  in  the  darkest  of  the  casemates!  " 

But  the  soldiers  would  not  lay  their  hands  upon  an 
archimandrite. 

"  He  is  an  escaped  prisoner  who  has  profaned  the  re- 
ligious habit,"  said  Vassili. 

"  Ivan  Zmtloff !  "  exclaimed  the  jailor,  holding  up  his 
lantern  to  Litzanoff 's  face.  "  The  real  archimandrite  has 
taken  this  man's  place  in  the  other  cell." 


THE  FEMALE  PRISONER.  329 

"  What  does  all  this  mean,  Stepane  Litzanoff  ?  "  in- 
quired Stackelberg. 

"You  are  a  policeman,  it  is  your  place  to  find  out," 
said  Stepane,  scornfully  following  the  soldiers  as  he  spoke. 

"Will  you,  Madame,  inform  me  how  the  Count  Litza- 
noff came  to  be  in  your  cell?  " 

Wanda  would  not  speak.  Stackelberg  signed  to  the 
jailor  to  withdraw.  They  were  left  alone. 

"  So,"  he  said,  "  Stepane  is  your  lover?  You  love  him, 
and  he  and  you  together  have  laughed  at  my  love." 

"  No,  we  have  never  laughed  at  you." 

"  I  seem  to  fill  you  with  horror." 

"Yes,"  said  Wanda,  "  the  secret  police  does  fill  me 
with  horror.  You  are  a  disgrace  to  Russia.  You  stifle 
everything  that  is  good  and  great  in  the  country.  In- 
iquity is  so  natural  to  you,  that  your  very  infamy  seems 
to  you  an  act  of  justice.  Yes,  your  love  does  fill  me  with 
horror;  for  I  despise  you,  and  I  hate  you." 

"  Your  lover  shall  pay  for  these  insults,  Madame  Cha- 
bert." 

"  You  would  condemn  him,  whatever  I  might  say." 

"  No  ;  one  word  from  you,  and  I  will . . . . " 

"  A  man  who  is  capable  of  proposing  such  terms  to  a 
woman  in  my  situation  is  capable  of  anything.  I  do  not 
trust  your  word,  and  I  shall  never  lower  myself  before 
you." 

"  Is  this  vour  determination  ?" 

"It  is."  " 

The  soldiers,  who  had  gone  off  with  Litzanoff,  returned. 

"  Take  this  woman  to  the  casemates,"  ordered  Stackel- 
berg. 

The  men  approached  to  seize  her. 

"  It  is  unnecessary  ;  I  will  follow  you,"  she  said,  with 
an  air  so  noble,  so  proud,  that  they  dared  not  touch  her. 

Stackelberg  followed  her  with  his  eyes,  which  literally 
glared  with  fury.  He  then  proceeded  to  the  cell  in 
which  Koroleff  was  confined,  and  subjected  him  to  a 
strict  cross-questioning  ;  but  he  obtained  nothing  from 
him.  Then  he  ordered  him  likewise  to  be  shut  up  in  a 
dungeon. 


330  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

They  forgot  to  search  him,  and  Koroloff  bore  away 
with  him  the  bank  notes  hidden  between  the  soles  of  his 
shoes,  and  his  dagger  carefully  tucked  away  in  his  girdle. 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE   RESCUE. 

IN  the  meanwhile,  as  nothing  was  heard  from  Koroleff, 
Alexandra  and  Nadoge  became  terribly  uneasy.  Michael 
and  Padlewsky  had  both  gone  to  Moscow,  and  the  women 
had  no  one  to  counsel  or  advise  them. 

The  next  day  Mentikoff  was  informed,  by  the  real 
archimandrite,  of  the  remarkable  trick  that  had  been 
played  upon  the  prison  authorities,  and  Mentikoff  re- 
ported it  all  to  his  friends.  "  We  have  still  one  resource 
left  us," he  said;  "that  is,  to  play  upon  the  discontent  of 
the  garrison,  and  so  effect  the  rescue  of  the  prisoners  by 
means  of  the  soldiers  of  the  guard." 

News  had  arrived  that  morning  of  Prince  Kryloff.  He 
was  still  ill  in  bed,  and  so  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from 
him. 

The  colonel  who  commanded  the  regiment  at  the  fort 
was  a  very  young  man  and  a  very  unpopular  one.  Tho 
soldiers  hated  him,  and  under  his  rule  several  of  them 
had  turned  socialists.  Among  these  was  a  corporal,  a 
great  friend  of  Mentikoff's.  He  undertook  to  make  the 
jailor  drunk  and  to  find  out  in  which  prison  Koroleff  was 
confined.  He  managed  to  slip  through  the  bars  of  tin- 
prisoner's  window  a  little  paper,  on  which  was  written: 

"Try  to  get  out,  all  five  of  you,  this  evening.  The 
soldiers  will  let  you  pass." 

Koroleff  lost  no  time.  He  had  been  arranging  his  plan 
for  several  days.  He  had  concealed  his  bank-notes  ur.- 
der  his  red  wig,  and  he  had  stuck  his  dagger  into  his 


THE  FEMALE  PRISONER.  33l 

stool,  on  the  under  side,  where  no  one  thought  of  looking 
for  it. 

On  the  day  fixed  upon  by  the  corporal,  when  the  clock 
had  struck  seven,  Koroleff  took  out  his  bank-notes  and 
put  them  on  the  bench;  then  he  laid  himself  down  on  the 
floor,  his  head  thrown  back,  one  arm  stretched  out  and 
the  other  clutching  at  his  heart.  He  closed  his  eyes;  his 
mouth  was  drawn  to  one  side,  his  limbs  looked  rigid. 

It  was  time  for  the  jailor  to  go  his  round.  Soon 
his  steps  were  heard,  drawing  nearer  and  nearer. 
He  opened  the  door  and  came  in.  When  he  saw  Koro- 
lefFs  body  stretched  out  on  the  floor,  he  thought  he  was 
dead.  He  called  him  several  times,  but  KorolefF  did  not 
move;  then  he  came  into  the  room,  leaving  the  door  open 
behind  him,  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  He  leaned  over 
the  prisoner,  who  had  a  dagger  in  his  hand. 

Suicides  are  frequent  in  the  Russian  prisons,  and 
this  looked  like  one.  As  the  jailor  bent  over  him, 
the  dead  man  leaped  up,  and  placing  himself  in  the  door- 
way, exclaimed  : 

"  One  cry,  one  movement,  and  you  are  a  dead  man  !" 

The  jailor,  seized  with  terror,  stood  motionless.  Koro- 
leff continued  : 

"  On  that  bench  are  ten  thousand  roubles.  That  is  a 
fortune  to  you.  Choose  between  death  and  fortune.  If 
you  will  help  us  to  escape,  me  and  my  companions,  those 
ten  thousand  roubles  are  yours;  and  besides,  when  we 
find  ourselves  outside  of  the  prison  walls,  we  will  give  you 
ten  thousand  roubles  more.  If  you  refuse,  I  will  kill 
you." 

The  jailor  was  strongly  tempted.  "  Wait  a  minute," 
said  he;  "I  think  I  can  arrange  it.  Follow  me.  I  will 
point  out  to  you  the  cells  in  which  your  friends  are  con- 
fined ;  then  I  will  come  back,  and  lie  down  here  in  your 
place.  You  must  wound  me  slightly,  and  I  will  say  that 
I  was  wounded,  and  fainted  from  loss  of  blood  ;  and 
that  while  I  was  unconscious  you  went  off  with  the  keys." 

"  You  can  say  whatever  you  please  ;  but  take  care 
that  no  one  finds  out  our  escape  for  several  hours,  or  you 


332  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

will  never  see  that  other  ten  thousand  roubles.  If  you 
betray  us,  we  will  kill  you  ;  I  give  you  my  word  of  hon- 
or, and  you  can  trust  the  word  of  a  socialist.  Well,  have 
you  made  up  your  mind?  will  you  take  the  money?" 

"I  will, "  answered  the  jailor,  pocketing  the  bank- 
notes. 

Twenty  minutes  later,  Wanda,  Katia,  Raymond,  Litz- 
anoff,  and  Koroloff,  came  down  into  the  prison-yard,  in 
which  two  sentinels  wore  walking  up  and  down.  One  of 
these  was  the  corporal. 

The  prisoners  had  now  to  pass  by  the  porter's  lodge 
and  open  the  grated  door.  The  two  sentinels  rushed  for- 
ward, entered  the  porter's  room,  tied  his  hands,  seized 
his  keys,  and  unlocked  the  gate. 

Nothing  remained  but  to  get  past  the  guard,  which  con- 
sisted of  twenty  men;  but  these  men  were  all  nihilists. 

"  My  friends,"  said  the  corporal,  "  let  us  follow  the 
prisoners!  Let  us  fly  with  them;  otherwise  we  shall  all  be 
shot  to-morrow.  Besides,  Russia  will  soon  be  in  a  state 
of  revolution,  and  you  will  be  rewarded  for  having  deliv- 
ered the  leading  members  of  the  revolutionary  party  from 
an  unmerited  punishment." 

The  soldiers  went  with  them.* 

Once  outside  the  fortress,  they  separated,  and  arrived  at 
Mentikoff's  by  different  roads. 

It  was  now  eight  o'clock,  and  a  great  many  persons 
were  at  the  printer's.  Their  delight  at  seeing  their 
friends  once  more  was  boundless.  Alexandra  pressed  her 
clsmghter  to  her  heart  with  rapture. 

"Where  is  Nadege?"  asked  Wanda.  No  one  knew; 
and  they  were  so  busy  discussing  the  situation,  and  hear- 
ing Michael,  who  had  just  returned  from  Moscow,  relate 
all  he  had  seen  and  reflected  upon  during  his  absence, 
that  the  recollection  of  Nadege  passed  quite  from  their 
mind. 

Michael  and  Padlewsky  were  reporting  the  views  and 
opinions  of  some  of  the  most  prominent  nihilists  of  Mos- 

*  "ToiUa.  May,  1878— Five  socialists,  confined  in  the  fortress  at  Kieff,  escaped 
to-day,  and  the  whole  guard  followed  them." 


THE  ASSASSINATION.  333 

cow,  when  the  bell  of  the  street  door  was  rung  violently. 

"Who  is  that,  coming  here  at  this  hour?"  they  asked 
anxiously  of  one  another.  They  feared  it  might  be  the 
police.  Had  they  already  found  out  the  escape  of  the 
prisoners,  and  were  they  on  their  track?  , 

The  unexpected  visitor  was  Nadege. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

THE  ASSASSINATION. 

NADEGE  was  pale.  Her  eyes  looked  wild.  She  rec- 
ognized Stepane,  in  spite  of  his  disguise;  she  rushed  to- 
wards him  and  clasped  him  in  her  arms. 

"  You  are  here  at  last!  "  she  said,  looking  around  wildly. 

She  was  panting.  She  hid  her  head  in  her  hands;  then 
she  looked  up,  with  eyes  on  fire: 

"  I  have  just  come  from  the  Governor's.  I  have  be- 
trayed you  all.  Make  haste  !  go  away  !  do  not  lose  a 
minute.  To-morrow — this  very  night  perhaps — this  house 
will  be  surrounded." 

"  Wretched  woman  !  what  have  you  done?  "  cried  Litz- 
anoff. 

Nadege  looked  at  him  with  terror.  "  Before  you  con- 
demn me,  listen  to  me,"  she  said. 

But  in  her  agony  she  could  not  speak.  Every  one 
present,  pale,  silent,  motionless,  fixed  angry  and  in- 
dignant eyes  upon  poor  Nadege. 

Wanda  took  pity  on  the  feeble  creature.  "  My  friends," 
she  said,  "  you  see  how  unhappy  she  is.  Before  you  pass 
sentence  upon  her,  hear  what  she  has  to  say." 

"  Death  to  all  traitors  ! "  said  a  voice  from  the  end  of 
the  room. 

"  Speak  ! "  said  Litzanoff,  no  longer  able  to  restrain  his 
rage. 


334  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  My  poor  friend,  tell  us  what  it  is  that  you  have  done," 
added  Wanda,  gently. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  answered  Nadege,  "  I  must  tell  all.  At 
five  o'clock  this  evening  I  received  an  order  to  appear 
before  Colonel  Heyking.  I  thought  that  I  had  been  ac- 
cused of  participating  in  the  revolutionary  movement.  I 
was  not  afraid  of  myself;  but  it  was  not  of  myself  and 
my  opinions  that  the  Chief  of  Police  questioned  me — it 
was  about  Countess  Kousmine,  her  socialist  gatherings, 
and  their  results.  I  persisted  in  denying  anything  about 
it,  when  he  suddenly  said  to  me: 

" '  Do  you  love  your  husband,  Madame  ? ' 

"  '  Certainly  I  do,'  said  I,  trembling. 

" '  Well,  he  is  at  present  in  the  casemates  of  the  for- 
tress.' 

"  '  I  know  it,'  I  answered. 

" ' Who  told  you  ? '  he  asked. 

"I  made  no  reply.  He  insisted  upon  my  answering 
his  question,  but  I  would  not. 

" '  Speak,  Madame,  I  beg  you.  If  you  do  not,  I  must 
believe  that  you  hold  intercourse  with  the  socialists,  and 
I  shall  be  obliged  to  have  you  arrested.' 

"  I  stood  perfectly  silent,  expecting  to  be  led  away  to 
the  fortress,  arid  happy  in  the  hope  of  being  near  my 
husband,  happy  to  prove  my  fidelity  to  the  cause. 

"But  the  Colonel  did  not  give  the  order  for  my  arrest, 
and  after  a  moment  of  silence,  continued  : 

" '  Do  you  know  why  Count  Litzanoff  has  been  im- 
prisoned in  the  casemates  ?' 

"'No.' 

" '  Then  I  will  tell  you  ;'  and  he  related  to  me  the 
whole  scene  that  was  enacted  in  Wanda*'s  cell. 

" '  There  has  been,  you  see,'  he  added,  '  an  attempt  to 
assassinate  an  eminent  person  ;  and  you  know  what  is 
the  penalty  of  assassination.' 

" '  Is  it  work  in  the  mines  ? '  I  asked. 

"'Worse  than  that.  Prince  Stackelberg  has  discre- 
tionary powers,  and  he  can  hang  or  shoot  your  husband, 
without  any  form  of  trial.' 


THE  ASSASSINATION.  335 

"  At  these  words,  I  felt  all  my  strength  leave  me.  I 
lost  my  head.  I  fell  at  his  feet,  at  the  feet  of  that  man  J ' 
— and  she  shuddered  as  she  spoke. 

"'  There  is  but  one  way  to  save  your  husband,'  said 
the  Colonel. 

'"What  is  it?'  I  cried. 

"  '  Tell  me  everything  that  you  know  about  the  nihil- 
ists in  Kieff.' 

"  Ah,  I  swear  to  you  that  if  there  had  been  a  question 
of  my  life  alone,  I  would  never  have  betrayed  you.  But 
at  the  thought  that  they  were  going  to  hang  or  shoot 
Stepane,  I  lost  my  mind.  He  promised  to  set  me  at  lib- 
erty, as  well  as  Stepane,  if  I  would  tell  him  everything  ; 
and  I  thought — '  I  can  tell  him  everything,  and  then  I 
can  run  quickly  and  warn  my  friends,  and  so  I  can  save 
them  and  my  husband,  too.'  I  did  not  tell  him  every- 
thing ;  but  I  told  him  too  much.  You  must  fly;  you 
must  conceal  yourselves.  They  may  surround  this  house  at 
any  moment;  for  I  told  him  that  it  is  your  meeting-place; 
and  Heyking  guessed  that  the  secret  printing  press  is  in 
this  house,  the  press  that  he  has  been  hunting  for  for  the 
last  six  months. 

"Now  if  I  have  deserved  death,"  she  added,  "kill  me, 
strike  me,  strike  me.  Stepane,  I  beg  you  to  kill  me  with 
your  own  hand.  I  have  been  very  unhappy,  very  un- 
happy for  a  long  time;  I  would  rather  die  than  live  de- 
spised by  you." 

"We  have  no  time  to  lose  in  useless  talk,"  said  Men- 
tikoff.  "  We  must  hide  the  printed  matter  and  the  so- 
cialist pamphlets,  and  disperse  as  quickly  as  possible." 

"  I  know  a  better  way,"  said  Litzanoff ;  "  give  me 
some  kind  of  arms — I  don't  care  what." 

Nadege  thought  that  Stepane  was  going  to  kill  her. 
"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  death  at  your  hands  will  be  sweet  to  me ; 
but  before  I  die,  pardon  me." 

"Get  up,"  said  Litzanoff  gently;  "you  are  not  to 
blame;  but  this  scoundrel  who  has  abused  your  weakness 
and  your  love  to  make  you  commit  a  cowardly  action — 
this  man  who  has  dishonored  you — he  is  the  one  to  be 


33G  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

blamed;  and  it  is  for  me,  your  husband,  the  guardian 
of  your  honor,  to  avenge  you." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do?  "  asked  Nadege. 

"  I  am  going  to  kill  him'.  The  Revolutionary  Commit- 
tee passed  sentence  on  him  four  months  ago.  He  has  for- 
gotten the  warning  that  he  received.  I  will  recall  it  to 
his  mind." 

"Stop!  stop!  I  conjure  you!"  implored  Nadege;  "the 
soldiers  are  down  stairs,  I  am  sure  ! " 

"No;  I  have  time  enough." 

He  tore  himself  from  his  wife's  embrace  and  went  to- 
wards the  door.  Wanda  and  Michael  called  him  back. 

"  Wait,"  said  they,  "  until  we  shall  have  deliberated 
upon  Heyking's  sentence." 

"You  mean  wait  till  we  all  are  in  Siberia,  don  't  you? 
He  knows  our  secret;  is  he  not  now  getting  ready  to 
surround  this  house  and  arrest  us,  every  one?  It  is  no 
crime  that  I  am  about  to  commit;  I  merely  intend  to 
put  the  man's  sentence  in  execution.  If  I  could  chal- 
lenge him  and  meet  him  in  a  duel,  I  would  not  assassi- 
nate him." 

Once  more  Nadege  renewed  her  intreaties,  her  em- 
braces; it  was  in  vain.  He  went  out. 

"  Follow  him  1"  said  Wanda  to  Verenine.  Verenine 
rushed  after  him. 

As  soon  as  Litzanoff  went  out  into  the  street  he  saw  a 
young  man  walking  in,his  direction.  He  stopped  him 
and  asked  him  to  show  him  the  way  to  the  police  office. 

"  Do  you  want  to  see  Colonel  Heyking?"  said  the 
stranger;  "he  is  not  at  home  at  this  hour.  He  always 
dines  at  the  Kriest-Catik  restaurant." 

"  I  wish  you  would  show  me  where  that  is,"  answered 
Stepane. 

The  young  man  assented,  merely  stopping  a  few  mo- 
ments for  Litzanoff,  who  turned  into  a  shop  and  bought  a 
dagger,  asking  his  companion  to  wait  outside  for  him; 
they  walked  together  to  the  door  of  the  restaurant,  where 
the  young  fellow  left  Litzanoff. 

Stepane  stood  at  the  door  for  a  long  time;    it  seemed 


THE  ASSASSINATION.  337 


to  him  a  year.  At  last,  about  ten  o'clock,  Heyking  came 
out,  arm-in-arm  with  one  of  his  friends.  Litzanoff  follow- 
ed them  for  some  time.  They  did  not  notice  him.  He 
quickened  his  pace  and  passed  them;  then  turned  back 
and  walked  towards  them,  knocked  against  Heyking 
rudely,  and  as  the  latter  turn*  d  quickly  round  with  his 
arm  raised,  Litzanoff  struck  him  suddenly,  right  under  the 
arm.  It  was  his  death-blow. 

"lam  hit!"  said  Heyking,  falling.  His  friend  sup- 
ported him,  crying:  "  Murder!  murder!  stop  the  assas- 
sin!" 

A  passer-by  threw  himself  on  Litzanoff;  but  he  re- 
ceived a  severe  wound  from  the  dagger  in  the  fleshy 
part  of  his  arm,  and  he  let  go  his  hold. 

Still  the  cry  rang  out  through  the  quiet  street:  "  Mur- 
der! Murder!  stop  the  assassin!" 

A  watchman  threw  himself  in  the  way.  Litzanoff,  see- 
ing a  policeman  before  him,  struck  him  full  in  the  heart. 
The  man  fell  dead.* 

A  crowd  began  to  gather;  but  whether  from  fear  of 
the  assassin  or  from  hatred  to  the  police,  Litzanoff  was 
not  arrested. 

The  police-agents  began  flocking  in.  One  man  went 
forward  to  meet  them,  and  told  them  what  was  the  mat- 
ter. This  was  Vereriine,  who  had  just  caught  up  with 
Litzanoff. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Stepane  had  time  to  escape.  Freed 
from  the  throng,  he  perceived  a  little  alley,  dark  and  de- 
serted. He  dashed  down  it,  and  made  his  way  to  Menti- 
koff's. 

As  he  n eared  the  house,  he  heard  the  sound  of  a  fight, 
the  report  of  fire-arms,  and  shrill  cries;  and  then  he  saw 
a  great  light  shoot  up  and  redden  the  sky. 

He  asked  the  passers-by  what  was  going  on;  they 
could  not  tell  him.  He  ran  on.  It  was  as  he  had  ex- 
pected. The  soldiers  were  attacking  Mentikoff's  house. 

*  We  have  this  account  from  an  eye-witness. 

22 


338  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


CHAPTER  LII. 

THE    ATTACK. 

IN  the  cellar  under  the  printing-office  was  a  quantity 
of  socialistic  printed  matter.  There  was  time  neither  to 
take  it  away  nor  to  destroy  it.  What  was  to  be  done? 
The  socialists,  huddled  together  in  MentikofPs  room,  de- 
bated this  question  most  anxiously. 

Suddenly  the  sound  of  horses'  feet  were  heard.  It  was 
Heyking's  cavalry. 

The  office  had  two  entrances. 

"Let  the  bravest  of  us,"  said  Michael,  "defend  the 
front  door,  so  that  we  can  get  the  women  out  the  back 
way." 

They  were  fifty- three  in  all — the  twenty  soldiers  who 
had  composed  the  guard  of  the  fortress,  and  eighteen 
men  and  fifteen  women  of  the  others. 

The  women  all  ran  to  the  back  door,  but  they  found 
sentinels  already  stationed  there,  and  the  yard  full  of 
soldiers. 

"  There  are  only  two  squads  of  cavalry,"  said  the  cor- 
poral; "we  can  fight  them." 

"  But  they  can  send  to  the  fortress  for  reinforcements," 
answered  Michael. 

"Bah!  their  colonel  is  always  gambling  or  drunk;  he 
is  not  at  the  fortress  now;  he  is  in  some  low  house  or 
other.  He  will  not  trouble  himself." 

"  Have  we  any  arms?  "  asked  Raymond.  "  If  we  have, 
I  think  we  had  better  fight." 

Wanda  understood  the  danger.  If  they  surrendered, 
the  deserters  would  be  shot,  the  escaped  prisoners  won VI 
be  exiled  to  Siberia;  her  mother  and  Michael  would  be 
recognized,  and  would  fall  into  the  hands  of  her  fatl  er. 
If  they  fought  they  would  run  the  risk  of  being  shot, 
every  one  of  them. 

"  We  must  resist !    we   must  fight! "   said  the  valiant 


THE  ATTACK.  339 


Katia.  "  The  police  have  no  right  to  control  our  meetings. 
We  should  not  yield  assent  to  this  unjust  and  aggressive 
action.  It  is  a  principle  that  we  should  defend  with  our 
lives." 

Mentikoff,  although  he  saw  that  in  any  event  he  was 
ruined,  showed  a  great  deal  of  determination. 

"  We  had  better  fight,"  he  said.  "  There  are  papers  in 
the  house,  that  we  have  not  time  to  destroy,  which  would 
ruin  the  whole  party." 

They  had  a  few  arms,  which  were  distributed.  Be- 
sides, among  the  socialists  present,  several  had  daggers, 
and  a  few  had  revolvers. 

Suddenly  they  saw  a  great  light. 

"  They  want  to  burn  us  alive!  "  cried  Alexandra.  "  At 
whatever  price,  let  us  force  our  way  out."  She  threw 
open  a  window  to  look  out,  and  a  ball  struck  her  on 
the  shoulder. 

Wanda  rushed  towards  her  mother.  "  It  has  done  no 
harm,"  said  Alexandra;  "my  wadded  coat  deadened  the 
blow." 

This  decided  Wanda;  she  took  up  a  gun. 

The  balls  now  began  to  shower  upon  them;  the  window- 
panes  were  shattered,  and  broken  glass  and  bullets 
hailed  in. 

Raymond  begged  Wanda  to  come  away  from  the  win- 
dow. "  I  am  no  weak  woman,"  she  said,  "  and  I  want  to 
prove  it  to  you,  once  for  all." 

Katia,  perfectly  cool,  loaded  the  guns;  while  poor 
Nadege,  seated  in  a  corner,  seemed  sunk  in  a  sort  of  stu- 
por. She  thought  of  no  one  but  Stepane. 

"What  a  pity  Koroleff  is  not  here!"  said  Raymond. 

"AndVerenine  too,"  added  Wanda.  She  dared  not 
trust  herself  even  to  think  of  Litzanoff. 

Already  several  of  the  soldiers  were  killed,  and  some 
lay  wounded  on  the  ground;  but  still  the  printer's  office 
held  out. 

The  captain  sent  to  inform  Heyking  of  the  state  of  af- 
fairs; and  also  sent  to  the  fortress  for  reinforcements. 

The  major   came   in  a  very  little  while  with    twenty 


340  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

men.  He  suspected  that  the  house  must  be  defended  by 
the  soldiers  who  had  deserted. 

The  fight  became  more  earnest  ;  the  major,  seeing  his 
men  fall  around  him,  tried  to  make  terms. 

"Yield  !  "  he  cried  to  the  socialists  ;  "yield,  and  we 
will  spare  your  lives."  But  at  that  moment  a  ball,  which 
went  right  through  his  shako,  put  an  end  to  his  peaceful 
state  of  mind. 

"  Assassins  !  robbers  !  murderers  !"  he  howled,  "  you 
shall  all  be  shot,  every  man  of  you  !  "  And  he  ordered 
his  men  to  assault  the  house. 

The  dragoons  and  the  soldiers  rushed  upon  the  build- 
ing ;  it  was  built  of  bricks,  and  entirely  unprotected 
about  the  doors  and  windows.  The  front  door  fell  in  ; 
but  behind  it  they  found  a  barricade  of  printing-presses, 
furniture,  and  reams  of  paper.  As  they  could  not  get 
through  this,  the  soldiers  planted  ladders  against  the 
wall  ;  and  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  set  these  on  fire, 
they  reached  the  windows  of  the  second  story.  As 
they  did  so,  the  news  of  Heyking's  assassination  was 
brought  to  the  major.  The  two  officers  were  now  per- 
fectly bloodthirsty. 

The  fight  did  not  last  much  longer.  At  midnight 
everything  was  over. 

Litzanoff,  Koroleff  and  Verenine  had  watched  it  all 
from  afar,  burning  to  rush  in,  and  not  daring  to. 

The  nihilists  were  all  handcuffed.  Wanda  had  been 
taken  with  a  gun  in  her  hand.  When  she  was  brought 
before  the  major  he  was  struck  by  her  beauty. 

"What  is  your  name?"  he  asked. 

"  Vera  Perowsky." 

"  And  what  is  yours  ?  "  he  said  to  Alexandra. 

"  Sophia  Nazauff." 

Katia  and  Nadege  also  gave  assumed  names. 

Verenine  and  Litzanoff,  mingling  with  the  crowd,  saw 
them  pass  in  front  of  them.  For  one  instant  they  were 
impelled  to  force  their  way  through  the  soldiers  and  carry 
them  off. 

"  It  is  madness  ! "  said  Koroleff.     "  We  could  not  save 


THE  SENTENCE.  341 


them.  We  should  only  be  arrested,  that  is  all.  Believe 
me,  we  can  be  of  more  use  to  them  outside  the  prison 
than  inside." 

The  next  morning  upon  hearing  the  events  of  the 
night  before,  the  pious  inhabitants  of  Kieff  were  struck 
with  terror  at  the  boldness  of  the  nihilists.  In  one 
night  five  prisoners  had  escaped;  a  whole  guard  had  de- 
serted; the  Chief  of  Police  had  been  assassinated;  the 
printing-office  of  that  good  man  Mentikoff  transformed 
into  a  robber's  cave;  and  a  regular  fight  had  taken  place 
in  one  of  the  most  fashionable  parts  of  the  city.  Besides, 
they  learned  there  had  been  a  rising  at  Karkow,  another 
at  Pultowa;  that  at  Sartow  whole  villages  had  been  set 
on  fire;  and  later  in  the  day  a  dispatch  from  the  south 
brought  the  news  that  all  the  villages  upon  Prince  Kry- 
loff  's  estate  were  in  open  rebellion  against  the  Govern- 
ment. 


CHAPTER  LIII. 

THE     SENTENCE. 

UPON  learning  of  the  assassination  of  Heyking,  Stackel- 
berg  had  instantly  telegraphed  to  Mezentzoff,  the  Chief 
of  the  Third  Section.  Mezentzoff  had  telegraphed  back 
that  until  further  orders  Stackelberg  should  take  the  po- 
sition left  vacant  by  the  death  of  Heyking.  He  also  con- 
firmed his  discretionary  powers,  leaving  him  at  liberty  to 
take  such  measures  as  he  thought  necessary. 

When  they  brought  him  the  list  of  the  names  of  the 
the  prisoners,  he  was  astounded  at  not  finding  Wanda's 
among  them.  They  reported  to  him,  at  the  same  time, 
that  there  were  several  women  among  the  prisoners, — 
among  others,  a  remarkably  beautiful  girl,  who  had  been 
taken  with  arms  in  her  hand,  and  who  had  fought  brave- 
ly, making  a  desperate  resistance. 


342  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"What  is  her  name?"  he  asked. 

"  Vera  Perowsky." 

"  Bring  her  before  me,"  he  ordered;  "but  search  her 
first,  and  see  that  she  has  no  weapons  concealed  in  her 
clothes. " 

An  hour  later,  Wanda,  dressed  in  a  working-girl's  dress, 
with  chains  upon  her  feet,  and  her  arms  tied  behind  her, 
was  ushered  into  Stackelberg's  office. 

Strange  to  say,  this  garb  but  enhanced  her  marvelous 
beauty — the  pure  white  of  her  skin,  and  the  strange  lus- 
tre of  her  dark  eyes. 

Stackelberg  at  first  could  not  meet  her  gaze.  "  You 
have  been  arrested,"  he  said,  looking  down  on  the  ground, 
"  with  arms  in  your  hands.  What  have  you  to  say  in 
your  defense?" 

"  Nothing,"  she  answered. 

"Are  you  riot,  at  least,  sorry  for  what  you  have  done?" 

"  No,  I  am  not." 

"  Would  you  do  it  over  again?  " 

"I  would.  In  the  stifling  atmosphere  in  which  we 
Russians  live,  there  is  but  one  means  to  diffuse  our  revo- 
lutionary doctrines,  and  that  is  daring  and  fearless  brav- 
ery." 

"  You  will  be  tried  by  a  military  commission ;  and  mar- 
tial law  is  inexorable." 

"I  know  it."    . 

"Do  you  know  what  penalty  you  have  incurred?" 

"  Death,"  answered  Wanda. 

"  Yes.     But  I  can  save  you." 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  are  invested  with  absolute 
authority." 

Stackelberg  handed  her  MezentzofFs  dispatch. 

"  Do  you  see  that?  Heyking  was  assassinated  yesterday 
evening  by  one  of  your  men,  and  I  have  replaced  him  as 
master  of  police  in  Kieff." 

"  You  are  quite  worthy  of  the  position, "  answered 
Wanda,  with  an  expression  of  the  utmost  contempt. 

"  Stackelberg  was  silent  for  a  moment ;  then  he  said  : 

"  Do  you  still  despise  me,  Wanda  Petrowna  ?" 


THE  SENTENCE.   '  343 


WanJa  made  no  answer. 

"  Has  death  no  terror  for  you  ?  " 

"  If  it  comes,  I  hope  I  shall  bear  it  bravely,  and  so 
prove  my  faith  to  the  cause. " 

"  But  your  death  will  not  do  any  good  to  the  cause. 
No  one  will  see  your  execution.  What  glory  will  come 
to  you  from  your  unknown  and  unremembered  loss  of 
life?" 

"  We  do  not  sacrifice  ourselves  for  glory,  Prince 
Stackelberg  ;  we  sacrifice  ourselves  for  a  great  Idea. " 

"  But  what  good  will  it  do  when  no  one  knows  any- 
thing about  it  ?  Wanda,  I  love  you  passionately  ;  you 
know  it.  I  want  to  save  you.  Only  sign  a  retraction 
— only  send  in  an  appeal  for  pardon " 

"I  am  not  a  coward,  Monsieur  de  Stackelberg.  I 
will  not  abjure  my  convictions  for  fear  of  death. " 

Vassili  rose  from  his  seat,  and  walked  up  and  down. 

"  She  is  mad,  mad  ! "  he  repeated.  "  She  will  have  it 
so." 

Wanda  watched  him  unmoved. 

He  came  up  to  her  suddenly.  "  Wanda,  only  say  that 
you  do  not  despise  me,  and  I  will  save  you  in  spite  of 
everything." 

"Indeed,  Monsieur  de  Stackelberg,  the  fear  of  death 
has  not  turned  my  head  so  much  that  I  forget  in  what 
country  we  are  living.  Certainly  you  are  very  power- 
ful, and  you  can  shoot  as  many  poor  girls  as  you  choose  ; 
but  you  dare  not  shoot  Prince  KrylofFs  daughter. " 

"But  you  forget,"  retorted  Vassili,  "that  you  have 
put  down  your  name  in  the  prison-register  as  Vera 
Perowsky. " 

"  But  I  shall  tell  my  real  name  to  the  military  commis- 
sion." 

"And  suppose  I  tell  them  that  you  lie?" 

"You  would  be  afraid  to  do  that,  for  it  would  be 
known." 

"  Who  will  know  it  when  you  are  no  longer  in  the 
world  to  tell  it?" 

"  My  friends  will." 


A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 


"What  friends?" 

Wanda  felt  a  cold  chill  run  through  her  veins. 

It  was  true!  he  could  have  her  shot,  without  anyone 
knowing  it.  She  was  a  brave  woman,  and  yet  the  in- 
stinct of  self-preservation  within  her  rose  in  rebellion  at 
the  idea  of  this  gloomy  execution.  But  almost  instantly 
her  will  conquered  this  instinct. 

"  In  fact,"  she  answered,  "  my  life  is  no  more  precious 
than  another's.  I  would  rather  die  than  lower  myself  be- 
fore you." 

Vassili  looked  at  her  almost  stupefied. 

"What  pride!  what  obstinacy!  "  he  exclaimed. 

"Any  lofty  sentiment  is  so  foreign  to  your  nature," 
said  Wanda,  "that  you  cannot  understand  it." 

"  1  will  give  you  eight  days,"  he  said,  "  in  which  to 
think  over  this  matter.  Eight  days  of  prison-life  may 
change  your  opinions  and  your  views." 

He  threw  open  the   door  and   summoned  the  soldiers. 

"Conduct  Vera  Perowsky  back  to  the  fortress,"  he 
ordered. 

And  then  he  sat  down,  without  even  looking  at  Wanda. 
But  as  soon  as  she  was  gone,  his  rage  broke  out. 

"  I  will  tame  her  pride!  I  will  bend  her  iron  spirit  — 
or  she  shall  die." 

In  the  course  of  the  day  he  went  o/er  to  the  fortress 
to  inspect  the  prisoners.  He  hoped  to  find  Litzanoff 
among  them,  and  his  disappointment  was  great  at  not 
finding  him;  but  when  he  saw  Raymond,  a  savage  joy 
lighted  up  his  blue  eyes.  "  He  at  least  shall  not  escape 
me  !  "  he  said  to  himself. 

But  Litzanoff  could  not  be  very  far  off,  and  he  ordered 
search  to  be  made  through  every  suspected  house  in  the 
town;  happily  he  never  suspected  the  one  in  which  Litz- 
anoff had  taken  refuge. 

He  then  appointed  a  military  commission  for  the  trial 
of  the  rebels. 

As  in  all  the  nihilist  trials  of  the  last  ten  years,  the 
prisoners  showed  themselves  courageous  and  daring,  to 
the  astonishment  of  their  judge. 


THE  SENTENCE.  345 


The  trial  was  short.  It  was  enough  that  they  had  been 
taken  in  open  rebellion  against  the  agents  of  the  Govern- 
ment. Their  sentence  could  be  but  one  of  three  things: 
Labor  in  the  mines,  exile  to  Siberia,  or  death. 

The  trial  was  held  with  closed  doors;  but,  notwithstand- 
ing, a  report  got  abroad  in  the  town  that  a  great  many  of 
the  prisoners  had  been  sentenced  to  death.  The  rumor 
further  ran  that  some  ladies  of  very  high  rank  were 
among  those  condemned. 

These  reports  reached  Litzanoff  's  ears.  At  the  mere 
thought  that  Wanda  might  be  among  them,  he  was  taken 
with  a  sort  of  delirium.  u  We  must  deliver  her,"  he 
said,  "  at  whatever  price,  if  we  have  to  burn  down  the 
city,  to  burn  down  the  fortress.  Koroleff,  can  you  think  of 
no  plan?  We  must  get  a  message  to  her,  must  send  her 
some  word  of  encouragement."  . 

"  That  is  what  I  am  thinking  of  all  the  time,"  an- 
swered Koroleff;  "how  can  we  save  them?  Stackelberg 
is  more  careful  than  Heyking.  The  prisoners  are  closely 
guarded.  Stackelberg  goes  through  the  prison  himself 
every  day.  The  major,  since  our  escape,  watches  day 
and  night." 

"Then,  you  can  think  of  nothing?" 

"Yes;  let  Verenine  go  to  Petersburg,  and  throw  him- 
self at  the  feet  of  the  Czarowitch,  and  beg  for  the  pardon 
of  Wanda  Kryloff.  And  do  you  go  at  once  to  Moscow, 
where  your  man  of  business  happens  to  be  just  now. 
Make  him  give  you  all  the  money  he  can  lay  his  hands 
on — two  hundred  thousand  roubles,  if  he  can  get  them." 

"  You  can  have  my  whole  fortune." 

"  Well,  I  will  go  to  find  Prince  Kryloff,  and  tell  him 
that  his  daughter  is  condemned  to  death.  He  can  get 
her  out  of  Stackelberg's  clutches.  For  I  have  an  idea 
that  if  Stackeiberg  is  going  to  put  her  to  death,  he  will 
do  it  quickly  and  privately;  and  this  we  must  try  to 
hinder." 

The  three  friends  left  Kieff  that  same  night  in  differ- 
ent directions;  and  thanks  to  their  excellent  disguise, 
they  were  not  molested. 


346  A  NIHILIST  PBINCESS. 

Prince  Kryloff  was  still  very  feeble.  He  was  out  of 
bed,  but  the  doctor  had  not  allowed  him,  as  yet,  to  leave 
the  house.  In  order  to  gain  admission  to  him,  Koroleff 
sent  up  his  name  as  a  messenger  from  Countess  Kous- 
mine,  bringing  news  of  Wanda. 

The  Prince  knew  nothing  of  what  had  taken  place  in 
the  neighborhood.  The  very  word  "nihilist,"  men- 
tioned in  his  presence,  brought  back  his  delirium.  His 
mind  was  unsettled,  and  they  feared  for  his  reason. 

When  Koroleff  told  him  that  his  daughter  was  in 
prison,  he  was  taken  with  a  fit  of  raving  which  ended  in 
unconsciousness.  However,  this  passed  off  in  a  short 
while,  and  he  determined  to  set  out  at  once  for  Kieff. 
But  suddenly  he  changed  his  mind,  and  thought  it  was 
all  a  trick,  and  determined  not  to  leave  home.  For  two 
whole  days,  two  precious  days,  Koroleff  pleaded  with 
him,  struggling  with  the  irresolute  fancies  of  an  unsettled 
brain. 

Verenine  had  obtained,  through  the  Czarowitch,  an  in- 
terview with  the  Emperor.  The  Czar  was  stern  at  first; 
but,  with  his  usual  goodness,  finally  relented.  He  knew 
about  the  troubles  at  Kieff,  and  the  assassination  of  Hey- 
king;  and  upon  Verenine's  entreaty,  he  promised  to  or- 
der Princess  Kryloff 's  sentence  to  be  deferred  until  he 
himself  should  look  into  the  affair. 

Litzanoff,  in  spite  of  the  lamentations  of  his  faithful 
Dmtri,  had  mortgaged  his  entire  property,  and  obtained 
five  hundred  thousand  roubles  at  an  exorbitant  rate. 
Koroleff  had  said  to  him:  "In  Russia,  you  can  do  any- 
thing with  money;"  and  he  thought  that  with  this 
amount  he  might  be  able  to  bribe  the  whole  garrison  of 
the  fort. 

Mezentoff,  under  the  directions  of  the  Emperor,  sent 
to  Stackelberg  the  following  despatch: 

"  By  order  of  the  Emperor,  defer  passing  sentence 
upon  Princess  Kryloff.  To-morrow  some  one  will  be  sent 
to  supply  your  place  as  Chief  of  Police." 

This  telegram  completely  upset  Stackelberg.  Who 
had  told  the  Emperor  about  this  affair?  He  thought  he 


THE  SENTENCE.  347 


had  kept  it  perfectly  secret.  Was  it  true  that  the  so- 
cialists had  their  spies  in  the  Emperor's  palace — or,  in- 
deed, in  the  Third  Section  itself?  He  was  frightened;  but 
still  he  was  determined  not  to  give  up  his  revenge. 

Ever  since  Wanda  had  been  in  his  power,  he  had  been 
a  prey  to  remorse  and  hesitation.  Now  he  wished  to  save 
her;  now,  to  torture  her,  so  as  to  avenge  himself  for  all 
she  had  made  him  suffer. 

When  he  received  this  telegram,  and  saw  that  Wanda 
might  escape  him,  his  rage  knew  no  bounds.  He,  sat 
down  and  wrote: 

"I  have  consulted  the  registers  of  all  the  prisons  in 
Kieff.  Princess  Kryloff  is  not  here." 

He  sent  this  telegram  off,  and  went  at  once  to  the 
fortress. 

The  military  commission  had  indeed  sentenced  Wanda 
to  death — as  also  Raymond,  Katia,  Matcha,  and  three 
other  women  and  five  men,  and  all  the  soldiers  who  had 
deserted.  Although  Wanda  at  her  trial  had  declared 
her  name  to  be  Wanda  Chabert,  and  her  father's  name 
Prince  Kryloff,  the  court  had  sentenced  her  under  the 
name  of  Vera  Perowsky.  The  trial  was  a  mockery. 
Stackelberg  had  ordered  what  sentences  should  be  pro- 
nounced upon  the  different  prisoners. 

For  three  days  she  had  known  her  sentence.  For 
three  days  had  she  been  in  mortal  agony.  Already  she 
had  been  in  prison  for  ten  days.  Ten  days  of  close  con- 
finement, of  absolute  solitude,  within  those  four  grey 
walls. 

No  one  who  has  not  tried  it  can  imagine  the  terrible 
effect  that  this  solitude  has  upon  a  person.  Under  it  the 
nerves  seem  to  relax,  the  fibres  of  the  brain  to  disin- 
tegrate, often  producing  serious  trouble,  and  even  mad- 
ness. The  martyrology  of  the  Russian  socialists  counts 
in  its  roll  a  great  number  of  prisoners  who  have  gone 
mad,  and  many  suicides. 

Wanda  was  strong  and  brave;  but  she  was  a  woman, 
and  her  whole  being  revolted  at  the  idea  of  the  terrible 
death  in  store  for  her.  To  die  at  twenty  years  of  age — 


348  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

in  all  the  strength  of  her  life,  the  freshness  of  her  youth, 
the  perfection  of  her  beauty!  At  this  thought  her  whole 
being  shuddered.  And  still  she  regretted  neither  happi- 
ness nor  youth  nor  beauty;  she  regretted  only  having  to 
die  before  she  could  see  the  triumph  of  the  cause;  of  the 
cause  for  which  she  was  about  to  sacrifice  her  life.  How- 
ever, she  had  gradually  grown  resigned  to  the  thought, 
except  at  night;  then  she  would  awake  suddenly,  and 
this  idea  of  death  stood  out  before  her  in  the  black  dark- 
ness, like  some  hideous  spirit  of  evil,  and  terror  seized 
her  soul. 

As  Stackelberg  entered  her  cell,  he  remarked  a  great 
change  in  her  appearance,  and  a  nervous  trembling, 
which  shook  her  from  head  to  foot,  as  soon  as  she  saw 
him.  From  this  physical  weakness,  he  argued  a  corres- 
ponding moral  weakness,  which  promised  success  to  his 
designs. 

For  a  few  moments  he  did  not  speak.  Wanda  rose 
when  he  came  in.  Her  proud  disdainful  look  dismayed 
him. 

"  Well !  "  he  asked  at  last,  "  have  you  thought  over 
your  determination?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Have  you  changed  your  mind?  " 

"  Monsieur  de  Stackelberg,  a  conviction  which  it  has 
taken  three  years  to  form  cannot  be  uprooted  in  ten  days. 
A  conviction  is  not  an  opinion;  it  is  a  deep,  perfect,  un- 
shaken belief." 

"And  yet,  in  the  face  of  death  one  sometimes  modifies 
one's  way  of  looking  at  things.  You  know  what  your  sen- 
tence is,  do  you  not." 

"  By  your  orders,  I  suppose,  they  took  good  care  to 
read  it  to  me." 

"  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  to-morrow  morning  is 
fixed  upon  as  the  time  of  your  execution." 

Wanda  grew  white;  her  teeth  chattered;  but  she  recov- 
ered herself  almost  instantly. 

"  I  am  quite  prepared,"  she  said. 

"Are  you  prepared  to  die?"  exclaimed  Vassili,  amazed 


THE  SENTENCE.  349 


at  such  courage.  "No,  you  shall  not  die;  I  will  not 
have  it.  Do  you  hear  me,  Wanda?  I  will  not  allow  it. 
Your  death  would  drive  me  mad.  I  have  never  loved  any 
one  but  you — I  can  never  love  any  one  else.  Listen  to 
me." 

"  Monsieur  de  Stackelberg,"  she  answered,  haughtily, 
"  my  feelings  have  not  changed  any  more  than  my  con- 
victions have." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  still  hate  me?" 

She  made  no  reply. 

"  Wanda,  is  it  not  rather  I  who  should  hate  you  ?  Think 
of  the  manner  in  which  you  insulted  me!  Think  of  how 
you  treated  me  in  the  presence  of  three  hundred  per- 
sons! There  are  some  things  that  cannot  easily  be  for- 
given." 

"And  you  have  not  forgiven  me?" 

"Not  only  have  I  forgiven  you,  but  I  love  you  still." 

"And  your  love  is  perhaps  the  reason  why  I  am  now 
in  this  cell,  under  sentence  of  death." 

"You  were  sentenced  for  resisting  the  officers  of  the 
law.  But  I  could  save  you,  and  I  would  save  you,  in 
spite  of  all  you  have  done  to  me." 

"No,  Monsieur  de  Stackelberg;  I  must  show  you  what 
it  is  to  know  no  fear." 

" Do  you  refuse  me?" 

"I  do." 

He  left  the  cell.  As  he  stood  in  the  doorway,  he 
turned,  made  two  steps  forward,  and  stretched  out  his 
arms  to  Wanda  with  a  gesture  of  impassioned  longing. 
But  Wanda  stood  unmoved,  haughty  and  cold,  gazing  at 
him  with  such  scorn  that  his  hands  fell  to  his  side.  With 
a  hoarse  groan,  he  went  out. 

What  should  he  do?  Set  her  at  liberty?  That  meant  to 
give  her  to  Litzanoff,  who  had  not  been  arrested,  and  who 
loved  her;  for  she  had  told  him  so.  She  had  only  trifled 
with  him  to  avenge  Litzanoff.  She  had  probably  left  her 
father's  house  to  be  with  him,  and  share  his  life  of  peril 
and  adventure. 

In   the   presence  of  three  hundred    persons,   Wanda 


350  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

had  been  openly  declared  to  be  betrothed  to  him.  No; 
he  would  not  be  made  ridiculous;  and  to  avoid  that,  he 
must  avenge  himself  in  a  terrible  manner. 

He  went  home,  and  sent  for  the  Cossack  colonel  who 
had  lately  arrived  at  Kieff. 

"I  have  received  orders  from  Petersburg,"  he  said; 
"  the  execution  is  fixed  for  to-morrow  morning." 

The  colonel  bowed. 

"  I  myself  shall  leave  Kieff  to-day;  another  Chief  of 
Police  has  been  appointed." 

The  colonel  withdrew. 

The  officer  had  hardly  got  down  stairs,  when  Stackel- 
berg  rushed  out  and  called  for  an  orderly. 

"  Quick  !  quick  !  "  he  said;  "call  the  colonel  back." 

The  orderly  ran  down  into  the  street  as  fast  as  he 
could;  but  the  colonel  had  galloped  away,  and  could  not 
be  overtaken. 

Then  Stackelberg  hesitated  again.  Should  he  counter- 
mand the  order  ?  What  would  she  think  of  him  if  he  did? 
He  called  for  his  valet,  ordered  him  to  pack  up  his 
clothes,  then  wrote  several  letters  and  gave  several  orders, 
without  knowing  what  he  was  writing  or  what  he  was 
saying.  At  six  o'clock  dinner  was  served;  but  he  could  not 
eat.  At  seven  o'clock  he  got  into  the  train,  with  his  head 
sunk  upon  his  chest,  like  a  guilty  wretch  flying  from  the 
spectre  of  his  guilt. 

"  If  I  stay  here  two  hours  longer,  I  shall  go  mad!"  he 
muttered  to  himself. 

Prince  Kryloff  and  Koroleff  arrived  at  Kieff  that  same 
night  at  eleven  o'clock.  While  the  Prince  went  to  the 
police  office,  in  hopes  of  finding  Stackelberg,  Koroleff 
went  to  look  for  Litzanoff  and  Raymond. 

Verenine  had  not  come  back  ;  but  he  had  sent  a  des- 
patch to  Litzanoff,  who  only  awaited  Koroleff 's  return  to 
see  what  money  would  do  in  the  fortress.  But  Stepane 
was  very  restless  and  feverish;  he  seemed  to  foresee 
calamity. 

"Koroleff,"  he  said,  "do  not  let  us  lose  a  moment. 
Let  us  try  this  very  night  to  get  into  the  fort." 


THE  SENTENCE.  351 


"It  would  bo  of  no  use,"  answered  Koroleff.  "Prince 
Kryloff  will  do  a  great  deal  better  than  we  can.  If  the 
Prince  is  unsuccessful,  we  will  try  to-morrow.  But  he  will 
succeed,  you  may  depend  upon  it;  for  he  loves  his  daugh- 
ter." 

Litzanoff  saw  there  was  nothing  he  could  do;  but  he 
could  not  sleep. 

Kryloff,  finding  that  Stackelberg  had  left  the  city,  went 
to  the  Governor,  who  was  a  friend  of  his;  but  he  assured 
the  Prince  that  his  fears  were  groundless. 

"  If  the  Princess  had  been  among  the  prisoners,"  he 
said,  "  I  certainly  should  have  known  of  it."  Yet,  as  the 
Prince  insisted  upon  it,  he  gave  him  a  permit  to  visit,  the 
next  morning,  all  the  cells  in  the  fortress  occupied  by  the 
female  prisoners. 

The  Governor,  at  the  time,  knew  nothing  of  the  orders 
that  Stackelberg  had  given  to  the  colonel  of  the  Cossack 
regiment. 

When  Koroleff  came,  he  found  the  Prince  quite  re- 
assured— too  much  so;  he  had  to  disquiet  him  again.  He 
told  him  that  Wanda  was  certainly  a  prisoner,  and  was 
probably  condemned  to  death. 

The  next  morning  at  four  o'clock  the  Prince  arose,  and 
accompanied  by  Koroleff,  went  to  the  fortress  where, 
thanks  to  his  permit,  he  was  allowed  to  enter. 

They  threw  open  the  doors  of  all  the  cells  in  which  the 
women  were.  The  most  of  the  prisoners  were  still 
asleep,  and  this  early  awakening  gave  them  a  great 
fright. 

Alexandra  was  not  asleep.  She  had  been  awakened 
about  three  o'clock  by  an  unusual  noise  ;  and  all  sorts  of 
dreadful  ideas  had  tormented  her  brain.  A  terrible 
anxiety  oppressed  her.  She  felt  that  some  danger 
threatened  Michael  and  Wanda.  She  knew  that  they 
had  been  sentenced  to  death. 

She  was  sitting  upon  a  bench  listening,  when  she 
heard  doors  opening  and  shutting,  and  the  sound  of  feet 
approaching.  Suddenly  the  door  of  her  cell  flew  open. 
She  stood  up;  but  in  an  instant  she  shrunk  back. 


352  '  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

Prince  Kryloff  stood  upon  the  threshold.  He  did  not 
recognize  his  wife  ;  but  he  was  struck  by  the  resem- 
blance. 

"  Who  is  this  woman?  "  he  said  to  the  jailor. 

"  Sophia  Lazareff." 

"  Is  that  your  real  name  ?  "  said  the  Prince  to  Alexan- 
dra. 

She  did  not  answer  him. 

"  Where  do  you  come  from  ?  " 

Still  no  answer. 

Then  he  entered  the  cell  and  went  up  close  to  her;  he 
cried  aloud  : 

"Alexandra,  is  this  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Alexandra,  your  victim,"  answered  the  Prin- 
cess. 

"It  is  she!  it  is  she!"  repeated  the  Prince.  "Yes, 
Wanda  must  be  here.  She  has  taken  my  child  from  me  ! 
Where  is  Wanda?  Speak,  where  is  she?"  And  then  he 
turned  to  the  jailor  :  "  Put  this  woman  in  chains  !  She 
is  a  devil !  My  daughter  is  here  1  Where  is  my 
child?" 

"  Yes,  Wanda  is  here, "  said  Alexandra;  "  and  you 
alone  can  save  her.  Oh,  save  her  !  save  her  !  " 

"  I  thought  you  told  me, "  said  the  Prince  to  the  jailor, 
"that  this  was  the  last  cell  where  the  women  are?  " 

"  I  did,  "  answered  the  jailor.  "  There  were  five  oth- 
ers, but  this  morning 

"  This  morning  what?"  exclaimed  Alexandra. 

"This  morning  they  were  removed." 

"  Where?"     The  jailor  made  no  reply. 

"  Speak  !  tell  me  ! "  said  the  Prince,  shaking  him  by 
the  arm. 

"  To  be  shot." 

"  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  this  before?  " 

"  Your  Excellency  did  not  ask  me." 

Alexandra,  forgetting  the  past,  half  crazy,  fell  on  her 
knees  at  her  husband's  feet,  and  with  a  choking  voice 
said  : 

"  Pierre,  run  and  save  her." 


THE  EXECUTION.   . ...  353 

"  There  was  no  Princess  Kryloff  among  the  prisoners," 
said  the  jailor. 

"  She  had  taken  the  name  of  Vera  Perowsky — Vera 
Perowsky,"  repeated  Alexandra. 

"That  is  the  name  of  one  of  the  prisoners  to  be  shot 
this  morning, "  said  the  man. 

"  Too  late  !  too  late  ! "  cried  the  Princess;  while  some- 
thing seemed  to  burst  in  Prince  Kryloff's  brain.  He  strug- 
gled against  this  terrible  feeling,  this  terrible  pain;  and 
all  his  paternal  love  aroused,  he  said  to  the  jailor  :  "  Lead 
me  to  the  place  of  execution." 

At  that  very  instant  they  heard  a  discharge  of  mus- 
ketry. The  Prince,  struggling  against  his  weakness,  ran 
out  of  the  fortress.  When  he  reached  the  gate,  he  found 
Koroleff  waiting  for  him.  He,  too,  had  heard  the  dis- 
charge. 


CHAPTER    LIV. 

THE    EXECUTION. 

AT  the  distance  of  about  half  a  verst  was  a  plat  of 
ground,  gently  sloping,  which  belonged  to  the  fortress. 

The  day  .dawned  grey  and  wan.  There  was  a  fine, 
chilly  rain  falling.  It  was  just  three  o'clock.  The  pla- 
toon of  soldiers,  their  arms  in  their  hands,  were  drawn 
up  on  the  plat  of  ground.  The  prisoners  were  led  out. 
All  walked  with  a  firm  step.  What  was  the  meaning 
of  such  fearlessness?  These  women  and  these  men  were 
upheld  by  the  ardor  of  deep  conviction.  For  a  long  time 
they  had  looked  forward  to  this  moment;  now  that  it  had 
come,  it  could  neither  astonish  nor  affright  them. 

The  five  women  came  first;  Katia  and  Wanda  walked 
side  by  side. 

"  My  friend,"  said  Katia,  "  they  are  going  to  shoot  you 

23 


354  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

under  the  name  of  Vera  Perowsky.  I  think  you  had 
better  give  your  real  name.  For  the  Russian  people,  who 
worship  rank,  your  death  will  be  a  powerful  example." 

"  No,  Katia,"  answered  Wanda,  "  I  will  have  absolute 
equality.  To  recall  my  rank  at  the  moment  of  death 
would  be  to  recognize  a  difference  between  you  and  me. 
My  death  will  be  certainly  known,  and  my  contempt  of 
birth  and  rank  will  be  a  sufficient  lesson.  Equality  will 
be  harder  to  establish  in  Russia  than  liberty,  even." 

Katia  was  the  first  one  summoned.  She  walked  for- 
ward, put  aside  the  soldiers  who  wished  to  support  her, 
advanced  with  unwavering  step  to  the  stake,  to  which 
they  bound^her.  She  would  not  let  them  bandage  her 
eyes. 

"  My  friends  !  my  brothers  !  "  she  said,  in  a  loud,  ring- 
ing voice,  "  I  die  gladly  for  the  cause  of  justice  and 
liberty;  the  revolution  is  near  at  hand,  and  we  shall  be 
avenged." 

The  adjutant  gave  the  signal;  fifteen  balls  struck  her. 

Wanda  looked  at  this  sight  with  heroic  courage.  They 
called  out  her  name — "  Vera  Perowsky. ^  She  walked 
calmly  forward. 

A  terrible,  heart-breaking  cry  burst  from  some  one  of 
the  prisoners.  It  was  Raymond,  who  up  to  that  moment 
had  not  seen  her,  and  who  did  not  know  that  she  was  to 
die  with  him.  He  strove  to  break  his  bonds,  and  rush 
towards  her;  but  the  soldiers  held  him  back. 

They  were  tying  Wanda  to  the  stake.  She  cast  one 
glance  at  Raymond. 

"  Do  not  shoot !  do  not  shoot  !  "  he  screamed  in  his  ag- 
ony. "  That  is  not  Vera  Perowsky;  it  is  Prince  Kryloff's 
daughter — Princess  Wanda!" 

The  adjutant  hesitated  a  moment;  then,  obedient  to 
his  orders,  he  commanded  the  men  to  fire. 

But  not  a  gun  was  fired. 

Raymond's  cries,  Wanda's  beauty,  the  name  of  Prince 
Kryloff,  intimidated  and  awed  the  men. 

Raymond  continued  crying  aloud:  "  Do  not  commit 
this  murder  ! " 


THE  EXECUTION.  355 

Then  turning  to  the  adjutant,  he  went  on: 

"  Respect  the  life  of  this  innocent  girl !  " 

But  the  adjutant  for  the  second  time  gave  the  order  to 
fire.  "  Whoever  will  not  obey  me,"  he  said,  "  shall  be 
shot  upon  the  spot !  " 

They  raised  their  guns  and  fired;  Wanda's  head  fell 
forward  on  her  breast.* 

At  that  moment  three  men  came  upon  the  grounds. 
They  were  the  Prince,  Koroleff,  and  the  soldier  who 
showed  them  the  way. 

The  Prince  ran  forward;  but  the  adjutant  stood  in  his 
way.  The  Prince  'thrust  him  rudely  aside. 

"  I  am  Prince  Kryloff,"  he  said.  "  Where  is  Vera  Per- 
owsky?  where  is  she?  She  is  my  daughter,  Princess 
Kryloff !  " 

The  officer  turned  ashy-pale,  and  pointed  to  the  stake. 
The  Prince  ran  to  the  place.  On  the  ground  lay  the 
corpses.  The  Prince  recognized  Katia,  and  shuddered. 
Then  he  went  up  to  the  other  body.  He  stood  there  per- 
fectly motionless,  looking  down  at  his  dead  child  with 
dilated  eyes. 

Suddenly  his  heart,  contracted  with  agony,  sent  a  rush 
of  blood  to  his  brain  ;  it  carried  with  it  ruin  to  his  al- 
ready enfeebled  mind.  A  horrible  fit  of  laughter  seized 
him  ;  burst  after  burst  of  this  untimely  merriment  chilled 
the  very  blood  in  the  veins  of  those  who  heard  it.  They 
tried  to  lead  him  away,  so  as  to  go  on  with  the  execution; 
but  insane  rage  now  had  full  possession  of  him.  He 
rushed  upon  the  men  who  tried  to  hold  him,  and  with 
superhuman  strength  freed  himself. 

"  The  nihilists  !  the  nihilists  !  "  he  howled,  *•  I  will  ex- 
terminate them,  every  one."  They  succeeded  at  last  in 
tying  his  hands,  but  still  he  roared  :  "  The  nihilists  !  the 
robbers  !  the  assassins  !  they  have  murdered  my  -child, 
my  beautiful  Wanda !  " 

And  then  he  was  taken  again  with  another  irrepres- 
sible fit  of  laughter. 

*An  execution  analogous  to  this  has  lately  taken  place  in  Kieff.  A  niece 
of  the  High  Chancellor  Gostschakofl'  was  shot,  under  an  assumed  name,  ior 
the  crime  of  socialism. 


356  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

And  now  they  saw  an  officer  approach,  in  company 
with  a  tall,  fair-haired  young  man.  It  was  Verenine, 
bringing  Wanda's  pardon,  signed  by  the  Emperor  with 
his  own  hand. 

"  Too  late,"  said  Koroleff. 

Verenine  cast  one  look  around,  and  understood  all. 
He  fell  upon  a  mound  of  earth,  and  hiding  his  face  in  his 
hands,  sobbed  a]oud. 

Koroleff  went  to  find  Litzanoff  in  his  hiding-place. 

"Well?"  said  Stepane. 

Koroleff  made  a  gesture  of  despair. 

"  Dead  ?  "  cried  Litzanoff. 

Koroleff  was  silent.  Litzanoff  pressed  his  hands  to 
his  heart  ;  he  staggered  back  as  if  he  had  been  shot ;  he 
could  not  speak.  He  panted,  gasped  for  breath. 

"  Be  calm,"  said  Koroleff. 

"  Oh,  I  am  very  calm,"  said  Stepane,  with  a  wan  smile. 
"  After  all,  what  is  life  ?  Where  is  her  body  ?  " 

"  It  has  been  taken  to  the  fortress." 

"  Let  us  go  there." 

"  What  do  you  want  to  do?  " 

"Killmyseff  by  her  side,"  answered  Stepane. 

"  What  good  would  that  do?  "  said  Koroleff.  "  If  you 
really  loved  that  noble  woman,  you  should  try  to  imbue 
yourself  with  her  spirit,  even  after  her  death." 

"  I  lived  only  through  her  and  for  her.  She  is  dead ;  I 
have  nothing  to  live  for." 

"But  before  you  die,  avenge  her;  kill  her  murderers." 

At  these  words  he  arose.  "You  are  right,"  said  he; 
"  let  us  avenge  her.  Who  are  her  murderers?" 

"  First,  Stackelberg,"  answered  Koroleff;  "  then  the 
principal  Chief  of  Police,  and  all  the  oppressors  of  Rus- 
sia." 


THE  DEPARTURE  FOR  SIBERIA.  357 


CHAPTER    LV. 

THE   DEPABTUEE   FOE   SIBEEIA. 

AT  the  moment  of  Wanda's  execution,  Raymond  had 
fainted  dead  away.  This  saved  his  life.  The  new  Chief 
of  Police  appointed  to  Kieff,  brought  with  him  orders 
emanating  from  the  Emperor  himself.  Raymond's  sen- 
tence was  commuted  to  labor  in  the  quicksilver  mines. 
It  was  a  slow  instead  of  a  violent  death. 

Alexandra,  Michael,  Matcha  and  Zobolewsky  were 
condemned  to  hard  labor. 

At  the  beginning  of  July  they  all  set  out  for  Siberia, 
their  destination  being  Irkoutsk,  five  thousand  versts  from 
Petersburg. 

As  a  usual  thing,  these  sad  processions  start  in  the 
spring-time;  but  the  prisons  were  full,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary to  clear  them. 

The  prisoners  were  on  foot,  about  five  hundred  of 
them,  guarded  by  Cossacks.  These  latter  were  armed 
with  pistols,  lances,  and  long  whips. 

The  men  walked  first,  each  one  clad  in  a  gray  cloak, 
with  a  number  in  copper  fastened  upon  his  breast,  his  feet 
shod  with  high  boots,  and  his  head  covered  with  a  sheep- 
skin cap.  Strapped  upon  his  back  was  a  warm  woolen 
blanket;  and  stuck  into  each  belt  was  a  tin  cup  and  a 
spoon. 

The  women,  dressed  in  long  black  cloaks  with  hoods, 
came  behind,  at  some  distance  from  the  men,  surrounded, 
like  them,  by  an  escort  of  cavalry. 

Behind  them,  a  line  of  miserable  carts  picked  up  any 
who  might  fall  down  exhausted  upon  the  road. 

These  noble  women  and  glorious  men  walked  side-by- 
side  with  -the  most  infamous  criminals.  This  was  their 
sorest  trial. 

These  melancholy  processions  are  frequent  in  Russia. 
No  one  is  permitted  to  speak  to  them.  The  condemned 


358  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

man  is,  as  it  were,  excommunicated  from  the  rest  of  the 
world. 

The  Cossacks  crack  their  whips  to  warn  people  away, 
and  run  up  and  down  the  ranks  with  lanterns  tied  to  the 
end  of  their  lances,  watching  lest  the  prisoners  should 
let  fall  any  letters  by  the  way- side. 

Michael,  and  Zobolewsky  were  strong  enough  to  en- 
dure this  three  months'  journey;  but  Raymond,  weakened 
by  his  grief,  arrived  at  Irkoutsk  in  a  state  of  complete 
exhaustion.  Yet  he  was  obliged  at  once  to  begin  the 
fearful  labor  to  which  he  was  condemned. 

Princess  Alexandra,  had  she  given  her  true  name, 
could  have  been  treated  with  the  respect  which  is  always 
paid  to  rank  in  Russia.  Instead  of  being  dragged  in  a 
miserable  cart,  she  could  have  traveled  to  Siberia  in  a 
comfortable  vozok  with  a  private  escort.  But  then  she 
would  have  been  separated  from  Michael  and  her  other 
friends;  and  she  preferred  to  undergo  the  terrible  jour- 
ney with  them. 

The  prisoners  were  allowed  one  hour  every  Sunday, 
after  they  had  heard  mass,  when  they  might  see  and 
talk  with  one  another. 

Zobolewsky  had  tried  to  escape;  he  had  been  caught, 
and  severely  flogged  as  an  example  to  the  rest. 

But  they  were  still  upheld  by  the  hope  that  their 
friends  would  find  out  where  they  were,  and  perhaps  de- 
liver them. 

General  Kousmine  obtained  Nadege's  pardon.  Ver- 
enine,  who  had  not  been  neglected,  gave  her  news  of  her 
husband.  Litzanoff  refused  to  see  her.  He  wrote  her  a 
letter,  telling  her  that  he  had  loved  Wanda  entirely,  and 
that  Wanda  being  dead,  his  heart  was  dead  also,  and  that 
he  could  love  no  one  else.  He  begged  her  to  leave  him 
alone,  and  never  to  seek  to  see  him  again;  and  besides,  he 
told  her  he  would  soon  make  an  .end  to  an  existence 
which  had  become  unendurable. 

She  determined  to  return  to  Petersburg,  and  Verenine 
accompanied  her. 


VENGEANCE.  359 


CHAPTER  LVI. 

VENGEANCE. 

As  SOON  as  Stackelberg  got  to  Petersburg,  he  drew  up 
a  sensational  account  of  the  nihilist  movement  in  South- 
ern Russia,  particularly  in  the  Ukraine. 

This  report,  which  put  the  one  published  the  year  be- 
fore by  Count  Pahlen  to  the  blush,  procured  the  author 
much  praise,  and  gave  him  the  reputation  at  the  Third 
Section  of  being  one  of  the  bravest  champions  of  the 
Czar's  government. 

He  received  the  eight-pointed  star  of  the  order  of  St. 
Andrew.  And  yet  in  spite  of  all  this,  Stackelberg  was 
terribly  depressed.  One  recollection  haunted  him  day 
and  night.  Wanda's  image  was  constantly  before  him. 
He  sought  to  divert  his  mind,  and  to  amuse  himself. 
He  had  always  been  looked  upon  as  the  most  sensible, 
proper,  steady  young  man  in  Petersburg;  but  now  there 
•was  nothing  going  on,  no  dissipation  of  any  kind,  in 
which  he  could  not  be  found.  He  passed  his  evenings, 
and  even  his  nights,  in  the  fashionable  club-houses  of 
Petersburg,  which  the  young  men  in  society  delight  to 
keep  up. 

His  coachman  often  would  have  to  wait  for  him  at  the 
door  of  one  or  another  of  these  clubs  the  whole  night  long. 
This  man  had  frequently  of  late  met  two  other  coach- 
men, who  always  had  an  unlimited  supply  of  vodka  with 
them. 

As  might  be  foreseen,  one  night  Prince  Stackelberg's 
driver  was  dead-drunk;  and  one  of  the  two  strange 
coachmen  carefully  took  off  his  coat,  dressed  himself  in 
it,  and  mounted  the  box  of  the  Prince's  coupe. 

It  was  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  before  Vassili  left 
the  club,  and  he  threw  himself  into  his  carriage  without 
noticing  anything  out  of  the  way.  He  was  terribly  de- 
pressed and  gloomy,  and  he  never  noticed  that  as  soon 


360  A  NIHILIST  PBINCESS. 

as  the  carriage-door  was  shut  a  second  man  mounted  the 
box  with  the  coachman. 

The  carriage  rolled  on;  and  he  within,  tortured  with 
remorse  and  gloomy  despair,  took  no  note  of  where  it 
was  going,  until  his  eye  was  attracted  by  an  unwonted 
aspect  of  the  street.  He  put  his  head  out  of  the  window 
and  called  to  the  driver;  but  the  man  made  no  reply, 
merely  whipping  up  his  horses  to  make  them  go  faster. 

"The  fellow  is  drunk!"  he  said  to  himself.  No  other 
thought  crossed  his  mind. 

They  had  arrived  at  a  lonely  part  of  the  city;  it  looked 
like  a  deserted  stone-quarry.  The  horses  were  suddenly 
stopped. 

The  door  of  the  carriage  was  thrown  open,  and  Stack- 
elberg  saw,  instead  of  his  own  coachman,  two  strange 
faces. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  nonsense?  "  he  asked,  in 
a  voice  tremulous  with  rage. 

"  It  means,"  answered  one  of  the  men,  "  that  the  Rev- 
olutionary Committee  has  determined  to  revenge  upon 
your  noble  person  the  outrages  that  you  have  poured  out 
upon  us  socialists — the  death  of  our  friends,  whom  you 
sentenced  at  Kieff,  and  above  all,  the  murder  of  Wanda 
Kryloff." 

"  An  ambush !  an  ambush !  "  cried  Stackelberg,  strain- 
ing his  eyes  to  see  where  he  was. 

In  the  pale  light  he  saw  human  figures  like  shadows 
rising  out  of  the  stone-quarry,  and  quickly  advancing 
towards  his  coupe.  At  the  same  moment  strong  arms 
seized  him,  and  in  spite  of  his  resistance,  stripped  him  of 
every  particle  of  clothing.  Then  the  shadows  spit  in  his 
face,  slapped  him,  insulted  him  in  every  possible  way; 
and,  last  of  all,  they  flogged  him  with  whips. 

Terrified,  enraged,  dreading  death,  he  nevertheless 
spoke  not  one  word,  uttered  no  complaint;  but  he  strove 
to  see  the  faces  of  his  enemies  so  that  he  might  have  his 
revenge. 

At  last  they  allowed  him  to  put  on  his  clothes,  and  to 
get  into  his  carriage  again.  As  he  was  about  to  step  in, 


VENGEANCE.  361 


he  saw  two  men  already  seated  inside.  He  drew  back; 
but  a  powerful  hand  pushed  him  in  and  a  voice  whis- 
pered in  his  ear,  while  he  felt  the  cold  touch  of  a  pistol 
on  his  temple: 

"  Speak  one  word,  make  one  movement,  and  you  are 
dead ! " 

So  he  sat  down  in  his  own  coupe1,  between  the  two  un- 
known men;  and  they  drove  off. 

It  was  a  beautiful  night — one  of  those  exquisite  north- 
ern nights  when  the  light  is  so  transparent,  so  luminous, 
that  one  can  not  only  distinguish  faces,  but  every  change 
of  expression;  and  so  at  once  Stackelberg  recognized 
Litzanoff.  The  other  man  he  did  not  know.  It  was 
Koroleff. 

"Do  you  recognize  me,  wretch?"  asked  Stepane. 

Stackelberg  trembled  from  head  to  foot. 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  this  is  Count  Litzanoff,  is  it 
not  ?  "  said  he,  bowing  politely. 

"  You  know  that  I  loved  Wanda  Kryloff,  did  you 
not?"  retorted  Stepane. 

"I  did  not,  I  assure  you. " 

"  Well,  I  did  love  her — madly,  passionately  ;  and  you 
ordered  her  death,  you  assassinated  her. " 

"  I  swear  to  you  that  you  are  mistaken. " 

"  Cowardly  liar  !  hold  your  tongue  ! " 

"  What  proof  have  you  ?  " 

"  I  have  every  proof.  In  the  first  place,  I  see  your 
guilt  in  your  face.  I  have  taken  upon  myself  to  avenge 
her  death  ;  and  you  must  die. " 

Stackelberg  tried  to  open  the  carriage-door ;  but 
Koroleff  instantly  pointed  a  revolver  at  his  head. 

"  Mercy !"  he  cried  ;  "  before  you  condemn  me,  hear 
what  I  have  to  say. " 

"  Did  you  listen  to  what  she  had  to  say  ?  " 

"  She  was  tried  by  a  judge.  " 

"  By  what  judge  ?  By  your  accomplices,  you  mean. 
You  richly  deserve  death,  for  you  are  a  murderer.  An 
eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth :  that  is  our 
motto.  " 


362  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"I  swear  to  you  that  I  had  orders  which  I  could  not 
disobey. " 

"You  lie,  coward!"  said  Litzanoff,  striking  him  in 
the  face.  "  You  had  express  orders  to  delay  the  execu- 
tion. Take  back  that  statement.  " 

"I  take  it  back,"  said  Stackelberg,  humbly. 

"  Now  ask  pardon  for  your  conduct  to  me.  " 

"  I  give  you  my  word — " 

"  No  new  falshoods  !     Apologize,  I  tell  you  ! " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon." 

"  Coward  !  Coward  !  you  sicken  me.  Let  us  make  an 
end  of  it." 

And  he  plunged  his  dagger  into  his  heart. 

Stackelberg  had  time  to  give  one  terrible  cry,  "Help! 
they  are  murdering  me!  "  But  a  second  blow  silenced 
him  forever. 

Then  Koroleff  drew  from  his  pocket  a  printed  slip  of 
paper;  on  it  were  these  words:  •  "  Killed  by  order  of  the 
Revolutionary  Committee" 

They  had  reached  the  gates  of  the  city.  Koroleff  and 
Litzanoff  jumped  out  of  the  carriage,  and  left  the  horses 
to  find  their  way  to  their  stable  alone. 

This  assassination  made  a  great  noise,  and  struck  ter- 
ror into  the  heart  of  all  the  officials  in  the  Empire. 

But  this  impression  was  soon  effacrd  by  a  still  more 
daring  attempt  upon  the  life  of  General  Mezentzoff, 
Chief  of  the  Third  Section.  The  daily  papers  reported 
it  as  follows : 

"August,  1878. — The  General,  who  was  in  full  uniform, 
was  walking  this  morning  at  nine  o'clock  with  Colonel 
Makaroff,  who  was  in  civilian's  dress.  At  the  corner  of 
Michael  Square  and  Italian  street  they  met  two  young 
men,  one  of  whom  suddenly  stabbed  General  Mezent- 
zoff in  the  left  breast,  inflicting  a  dangerous  wound. 

"  Colonel  Makaroff  threw  himself  upon  the  assassin;  but 
his  companion  fired  upon  the  Colonel  with  a  revolver, 
happily  without  hitting  him.  The  two  young  men  got 
into  a  handsome  droschky  which  was  waiting  for  them, 


CONCLUSION.  363 


and  drove  off  in  the  direction  of  Sadovaia  very  rapidly. 
At  that  moment  there  were  no  other  hacks  at  the  corner 
of  Michael  Square  and  Italian  street.  Was  this  an  ac- 
cident? It  should  be  inquired  into.  It  was  hoped  at  first 
that  the  General's  wound  would  not  prove  fatal;  but  it  is 
our  painful  duty  to  announce  to  our  readers  that  General 
Mezentzoff  expired  nine  hours  after  the  attempt  upon  his 
life." 

A  few  days  after  this  event,  large  red  placards,  post- 
ed on  the  walls  of  every  town  in  Russia,  announced  that 
Mezentzoff  had  been  killed  by  order  of  the  Revolution- 
ary Committee. 


CONCLUSION. 

IT  was  the  beginning  of  November.  A  post-carriage 
was  driving  rapidly  upon  the  road  to  Irkoutsk.  The 
temperature  was  thirty  degrees  below  zero. 

Two  gentlemen,  dressed  as  cavalry  officers,  wrapped 
in  furs,  were  seated  in  the  vozok.  One  of  them  was  in- 
tensely sad.  It  was  Litzanoff.  The  other,  in  spite  of  his 
huge  mustache,  could  easily  be  recognized.  It  was 
Koroleff. 

"  How  cold  it  is  1 "  said  the  latter.  "  It  is  freezing 
enough  to  make  one  gnash  one's  teeth,  as  the  Siberians 
say." 

"Are  we  near  Irkoutsk?"  asked  Litzanoff. 

"  It  is  about  five  versts  off.  I  assure  you,  I  feel  very 
uneasy  about  going  to  the  Governor." 

"  What  nonsense  !  "  answered  Litzanoff.  "  Hav  n't 
we  the  order  for  their  liberation — even  the  signature  of 
the  Emperor,  and  the  seal  of  the  Third  Section?" 

*'  Yes,  we  have;  but  the  signature  is  a  forgery." 

"  Oh,  it  is  very  well  imitated,  and  the  seals  are  real." 


364:  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

"  But  what  shall  I  tell  him  is  the  reason  that  they  have 
not  sent  this  order  through  the  ordinary  channels,  instead 
of  sending  us  with  it?" 

"  Bah  !  before  the  Emperor's  signature  the  Governor 
will  bow  down  as  every  body  else  has  done  on  the  road?" 

"  The  superior  officers  are  more  suspicious  and  watch- 
ful. They  know  what  a  terrible  punishment  awaits  them 
if  the  prisoners  escape." 

"  You  are  afraid,"  said  Litzanoff,  smiling  sadly.  "  I 
don't  care  what  becomes  of  rne." 

"I  afraid?"  answered  Koroleff.  "I  am  afraid  of  not 
succeeding,  that  is  all." 

It  was  five  o'clock  in  the  morning.  A  gray  fog 
wrapped  the  valley  of  Angora,  the  pine-forests,  and  the 
surrounding  mountains. 

Koroleff  lowered  the  glass  for  a  moment;  it  was  so  cov- 
ered with  the  frost  that  they  could  not  see  out. 

"  What  a  beautiful  sight! "  he  exclaimed.  The  fog  was 
lifting;  the  heavens,  scarlet  towards  the  rising  sun,  glit- 
tered like  silver  at  the  zenith,  where  a  million  micro- 
scopic rubies  seemed  to  shine.  On  one  side  could  be 
seen  the  bell-towers  and  the  domes  of  the  Monastery  of 
Saint  Irkout,  surrounded  with  pines  and  larches  draped 
in  cloaks  of  snow,  which  made  them  look  like  gigantic 
white  monks.  Farther  on,  the  city  of  Irkoutsk  stood 
boldly  out,  built  upon  many  hills,  surrounded  by  lofty 
wails,  and  adorned  with  innumerable  domes  and  slender 
spires. 

The  postilion  cracked  his  whip,  and  soon  they  drove 
under  the  massive  gate  of  the  city,  and  instantly  bent 
their  course  to  the  Kousnetzoff,  where  the  Governor  lived. 

Koroleff  and  Litzanoff  were  announced  as  envoys  ex- 
traordinary from  the  Third  Section. 

When  Koroleff  presented  his  sealed  orders,  the  Gov- 
ernor looked  at  him  suspiciously. 

"  I  see  that  you  are  surprised,"  said  KorolefF.  "  But 
this  is  not  a  matter  of  a  private  individual.  Princess 
Kryloff  has  been  condemned  unjustly,  under  the  name 
of  Sophia  Lazareff." 


CONCLUSION.  365 


The  Governor  called  for  his  secretary,  and  ordered  him 
to  consult  the  register. 

He  countersigned  the  order  for  the  liberation  of  the 
prisoners,  and  returned  it  to  Koroleff,  telling  him  at  the 
same  time  where  he  could  find  them. 

Michael  and  Zobolewsky  were  in  the  copper-mines  ; 
but  Raymond  had  been  sent  to  the  quicksilver  mines, 
not  far  from  Lake  Baikal. 

Five  years  in  these  mines  reduced  the  most  robust  man 
to  a  bald,  fleshless,  enfeebled  skeleton.  The  poor  wretch- 
es who  work  in  them  never  see  the  light  of  the  sun. 

Matcha  and  the  other  women  were  employed  in  sifting 
ore.  Alexandra,  on  account  of  her  age,  was  allowed  to 
board  with  a  poor  family,  who,  after  serving  out  their 
term,  had  determined  to  remain  in  Siberia.  She  passed 
whole  days  perfectly  motionless,  stretched  upon  a  bed  of 
dried  moss,  with  her  eyes  closed,  feverish  and  wretched. 

Litzanoff  and  Koroleff  delivered  first  Michael,  Zobo- 
lewsky, and  Matcha  ;  then  they  went  to  find  Alexandra. 
At  the  sight  of  Michael  she  fainted,  and  remained  for  a 
long  time  unconscious. 

There  was  no  time  to  lose  ;  they  took  her  up,  wrapped 
her  in  furs,  and  laid  her  in  the  carriage. 

Now  they  must  free  Raymond.  They  bent  their  way 
towards  Lake  Baikal. 

When  they  saw  him,  they  could  hardly  recognize  him, 
so  changed  was  he  by  his  life,  his  grief  at  Wanda's  death, 
and  his  utter  hopelessness.  At  the  sight  of  Litzanoff,  he 
forgot  his  old  jealousy  ;  he  saw  only  the  man  who  had 
loved  Wanda,  like  himself,  and  who,  like  himself,  was 
wretched. 

The  two  rushed  together,  and  held  each  other  in  a 
long  embrace  ;  their  hearts  choking,  their  faces  bathed 
in  tears. 

Koroleff  thought  it  would  not  be  safe  to  return  the 
same  way  they  had  come  ;  so  they  crossed  the  lake — 
this  vast  expanse  of  water,  the  largest  lake  in  the  world, 
— and  gaining  the  frontier  of  China,  embarked  at  Hong 
Kong  in  a  vessel  for  Southampton,  where  they  arrived 
safely  in  February. 


366  A  NIHILIST  PRINCESS. 

As  we  write  these  lines,  a  letter  has  arrived  from  Pe- 
tersburg, giving  us  some  facts  connected  with  the  per- 
sons, who  are  all  drawn  from  real  life,  mentioned  in  these 
pages. 

Prince  Kryloff  is  hopelessly  insane. 

It  is  said  that  Nadege  is  about  to  procure  a  divorce,  to 
enable  her  to  marry  Alexis  Verenine.  Although  they 
take  no  active  part  in  the  nihilist  movement,  in  memory 
of  Wanda  they  are  still  faithful  to  it. 

Koroleff  and  Litzanoff  are  in  Petersburg.  They  are 
the  implacable  executors  of  the  Revolutionary  Commit- 
tee. Vengeance  is.Stepane's  one  idea. 

Every  time  the  daily  papers  report  some  mysterious 
assassination,  equally  daring  and  fearless,  we  think  that 
we  know  the  authors. 

Raymond  has  not  returned  to  France.  He  has  taken 
Wanda's  mother  for  his  own. 

Michael  remains  the  most  intelligent  member  of  the 
party.  Unfortunately,  his  advice  and  Padlewsky's  is 
not  always  heeded;  but  he  remains  unmoved  and  calm, 
seeing  clearly  that  progress,  to  be  lasting,  must  be  slow. 

But  he  sees  the  current  that  draws  Russia  along.  He 
knows  better  than  any  one  the  Russian  character — the 
fierce  power  which  leads  it  to  extremes,  and  which 
shrinks  from  moderation.  He  would  direct  and  control 
this  power;  he  would  stem  this  torrent  which  threatens 
to  overwhelm  his  country.  But  he  sees  his  impotence; 
and  he  awaits  with  unspeakable  anxiety  the  denouement 
of  that  great  social  tragedy,  of  which  Russia  has  as  yet 
given  us  but  the  prologue. 

THE   END. 


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